Book_jW2___ 



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1' 



THE 

N E W A N D C O M P L E T E 

LIFE 

OF OUR 

BLESSED LORD AND SAVIOIR 

JESUS CHRIST: 

CONTAINING 

AN AUTHENTIC AND FULL ACCOUNT OF ALL 

THE WONDERR'L TRANSACTIONS, SUFFERLXGS, AND DEATH 

O F O U R 

GLORIOUS REDEEMER. 

WITH THE LIVLS;, ACTS AND SUFFERINGS^ 

OF HIS V 

HOLY APOSTLES, EVANGELISTS, DISCIPLES; ^^cT^ 

INCLUDING 

THE LIVES OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST, THE VIRGIN MARY, 

AND MANY OTHER EMINENT PERSONS AND PRIMITH'E CHRISTIANS, 
HOT TO BE FOUND IN ANY OTHER WORK OF THIS XI.XD. 



By P 
vicar of oakly, 


A U L W R I G H T, 

&C. IN ESSEX, LATE OF PEMBROXE-H 


D. 

ALL. 


D. 

CAMBRIDGE. 


EMBELLISHED WITH ENGRAVINGS. 




iV E W -TO R K : 








PRINTED BY L A Z A R U S B E A C H ; 







PUBLISHED AND SOLD BY WILLIAM DURELL, BOOKSELLI?., 

No. ICQ; MAIDEN-LANE. 



INTRODUCTORY 

PREFACE. 



TO CHRISTIAN READERS, 

/T is a real fact, evident beyond contradiction, that eve'^y individual Jhould acquire a 
thorough knowledge of the Life and Death cj our blejfed Lord and Saviour 7ESVS 
CHRIST, who was Crucified for our fins, rose again y^^r^^wr juftification, and now 
fitteth at the right-hand of GOB, making intercefliony<?r us. If Chrijlians ftek a noble. 
example of conduB. to Copy after, we would recommend to them the glorious and benev- 
olent tranfaaions of the GREAT CAPTAIN oj our SALVATION ; One, who being 
in 'he form of God, thought it no robbery to be equal with God, yet made himfelf of no 
reputation, fuffering his divine effence to be clothed with mortality, and became obedient 
unto death, even the death of the crofs ; that mankind by the merits of his redemption, 
through faith, might enjoy everlafiing happiness throughout eternity in the realms above. 
The Life and Death of our Holy Redeemer, with other matters herein contained, is a 
Work, if properly executed, of the utmofi confequence to this Chrifiian land, and is the 
moft valuable of all hijtories ; but it is a circumflance which will be readily allowed, by 
the impartial and difinterfled, and which has been long much lamented by many, that no 
Complete and perfectly authentic Work cf this kind has yet been publifhed, whereby perfons 
of every capacity may gain a thorough knowledge of the important fubjeSl, Hitherto, 
Work^ of this fort have been publifhed en too small a compass, and liktwise in too small 
sizes, wnich are by no means so elegant, so convenient, or so well adapted to the import- 
ance offo valuable a work, whichfhould not be cut fhort and mangled to suit any private 
purpose whatever. Some of these publications have been compiled by persons whose nan es, 
characters, ^in(i private sentiments, would have done no honor to a work of the kind, and 
•were therefore ufkered into the world under the names of fictitious persons who m ver ex- 
ijied ; and others of them have been so wretchedly executed, that Chrifian people have only 
parted with their money, without having their expectations at all arfwered. To remedy 
all these defects, by which the public have been long materialy injured, I was applied to by 
numerous friends to pub lifli this New and Complete LIFE of our Lord and 
Saviour JESUS CHRIST, the diligent labour of many years, and which, by the bleffng 
of God, I have now committed to the press, in order that it may be of real bew fit and use 
to pious and fincere Chrifiians of every denomination. I have been particular ly urg-ed to 
treat this important subject at Large in the moft copious and satisf actory manner, and to 
cause it to be beautifully printed m folio, on an excellent \^rge:ut'w\tix.er, which I am 
persuaded is the moji elegant and beft fize for the purpose, and what will, I doubt not, 
be approved of by the Public, in preference to any other form. Ihis preferable and su- 
perior mode of printing also enables my numerous subscribers to bind this valuable work 
in a uniform manner with my other Works, wherein I have happily comprized a very ex- 
tenfiveand complete Library of Qhkisti Ati Know^ledge, bothm Faith ond Practice, 
viz. 

My New and Complete CHRISTIANS FAMILY BIBLE, with NOTES, &c. 
My Complete Edition o/FOX's BOOK of MARTYRS,— aw^^ 
My Folio Edition of the COMMON PRAYER BOOK, with NOTES, &c. 
^'hich works, I am happy to say, meet with \imvev{2i\ applaufe/r(?w an indulgent public, 
for whom I have long laboured. The prefentwork will convey divine knowledge to all 
ranks of people, rectijy errors which too many are apt to run into, reprefent real religion 
m it^ native colours, as taught by CHRIST himfelf, and enable even the mofi ignorant 
Chriftian to g ivs an account of the faith that is in him when called upon on any occasion. 



1\- 



r R K F A C E. 



Th sacred un iting^ of the Evjugc-itJIs, &c. have nut only been carefully consulted and 
the respective (Kcounts syjlemalically arranged, so as to make this l] ork a complete Har- 
mony (>J the Gos; eJs, fmt prophanc auiliois of undoubted autliority, who were co-tempo- 
raries zmtkthe Evangelists and /Vp^^^il'^'S hnirjurnijhed us with a variety of U9 Jul par- 
ticulars relating to our Blcjj^d "^w \o\j v., not inrlud (tin the So ipt.ure liipory. J he 
ntdence whick Josephus bears to dijjerent parts oj our RKDKEMllK's LIFE, has also 
hmi faithfully presented, together n'ith an account oJ //r Jewish customs, c Hires, and 
sects; ei\T\ other xor iter {yinc\i.'ni and moAcrn) on the subject, has also been diligently 
perused; and no trouble or cxpiuce spared to render thu' Work, in every respect, the 
most Comnlete and PeiTen of the kind: biing happily calculated to coiiv^y to the inqui^ 
fitive v'ana, perlt ci knowledi^e f/ our lu)ly religion, to promote a firm faith m 
merits lii i ss hi) REDEEMER, and to recommend the prdctkc <f ev ry Clnis-r 
tian virtue. 7'A<r ciironological <2n</ geographical parts a.?'^ likiwisc minutely atttnued 
to, and the errors which others have fallen in,to, are most carefully avoided. Jn this 
I^'eface, I sluill only mention a few things more ; and may they be attentively considered 
hy all persons of both sexes, old and young. Let it be your care to make the evidences 
of Christianity the fubjcct of your serious refledion and converse, wherein such marks of 
truth and divinity arc to be found. The subjed of the Life of our Bliff d Rede i me r, 
is of the utmofi confequencc to every one, and demands our mtft ferrous regard ; for, as 
the great Apoflle fays, Christ hath suffered for us, leaving an example to us, that we 
might follow his steps : He declares himfelf the Way, the Truth, and /Ac Life ; He not 
o;2A' redeems our souls from death to life, but enlightens and leads all his faithful fol- 
lowers in Me paths of safety, to a happy eternity. The anfwers whick I have given ta 
Atheifls, Deifls, and Infedility in general, I hope will be found of the mofl fatifactory 
nature to my numerous readers, andfuch as will build them up m their mofl holy faith. 
The examples of the lioly Apoflles, Evangelifls, Difciples, and other eminent perfons and 
primitive Chriflians falfo given in this Work) will likewife afford great inflrutlion to 
eveyy reader : and the pratlical improvements and dodrinal remarks, interfperfed 
throughout the whole, loill be carefully applied to the faith and duty of every Believer, 

PAUL WRIGHT, 
Author of the Chriftian's Complete Family Bible, &c. 

St. Peter's, Oakley, Essex, 



THE 

NEW AND COMPLETE 

LIFE 

OF OUR 

BLESSED LORD AND SAVIOUR 

JESUS CHRIST: 

WITH THE LIVES, ACTS AND SUFFERINGS, 

OF HIS 

HOLY APOSTLES, EVANGELISTS, DISCIPLES, &g 



CHAPTER I. 

Concerning the State of Religion, &c. in the World in general, and in the Roman Ent' 
pire and the Jemjli Nation in particular, at the Tnne of our Redeemer's Birth, 
Including an Account oj the various Sects amongjl the Jews^ and other Particulars, hy 
Way of Lit' oduciion. 



IT is generally acknowledged, by the ' 
most learned and judicious chronolo- 
gers, that the Great Redeemer \s'as 
born in the four thousandth year after the 
creation of the world, and four years be- 
fore the \'ulgar sra. This mifiake is sup- 
pofed to have arisen from the low ftate of 
learniniT. when the birth of Christ was 

D- 

nrft fixed as the epocha from which the 
whole Chriftian world reckoned their time. 
This being- upwards of five hundred vears 
afcer the birth of Christ, and there being 
no authentic records, to fix the time with 
exactness and precifion, a miftake of four 
years was at firfl made, and has been ever 
fince continued. The year in ■which the 
Saviour of the world was born, was the 
thirty-third of Herod, king of the Jews, 
after his taking Jerusalem ; and the twen- 
ty-fixth of the emperor Auguftus, after the 



■ victor}^ of A6lium ; which, concluding the 
conteft between him and Mark Anthony ; 
put him in poffefFion of the whole Roman 
empire. It was now about seven hundred 
and fifty years fince the building of Rome. 
The Romans had carried their victorious 
arms through the furroundino- nations, and 
by their jufl:ice, clemency, and moderation, 
risen to the higheft pitch of glory and re- 
nown : but by the pride, luxury, and fre- 
quent quarrels of their great men, the em- 
pire was finking from its ancient greatness ; 
the common-wealth was at an end ; and 
the senate had been forced to submit to a 
mafher. Though the ftate had made a vi- 
olent ftraggle for liberty, in the murder of 
Julius Cssar, great quarrels succeeded, and 
the whole empire was subjefted to the 
authority of Auguftus. This was a prince 
of a ver)' amiable dispofition : he, by his 
B 



6 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



wise management, put an end to all con- 
tention, and governed the enijnie \vuh 
such jull'ce, prudence, and inoderaii ^n. as 
made hun highly ell emed l)V his suhjt tU'. 
He n >i only settled the allans of thf Hate 
so as to preferve all thnigs (juiet at home, 
but liad the like success throughout ilie re- 
moter parts ol the vail em})n"e : for a gen- 
eral peace prevailed through all the world, 
when our Great Redeemer, the heavenly 
Prince of peace, was born. 

The Jewilh nation was, at this time, 
groaning under ihc tyranny of" Herod the 
Great ; who. thou^rh an old man, declininjj 
in his heakh, and jull bordering on tlic 
grave, had so little thought of his latter- 
end, that he reigned with such cruelty and 
tyranny, as juftly rendered him the abhor- 
rence of his subje6is, A late writer has 
alTerted, that the Jews were, at this time, 
greviouily opprened by the Roman power ; 
but as Herod was, for the moft part, in fa- 
vour with the emperor Auguftus, and had 
liberty from him to rule as he pleased, and 
even, on flight grounds of complaint, to 
put his own sons, Alexander and Chrifto- 
Dolus, to death ; it muft certainly be the 
opprelhon of Herod, and not of Auguftus 
(who was a prince of a contrary chara6ler) 
"whom the Jews groaned under. Herod 
was a prince of Idumean descent, whose 
anceflors had been proselytes to the Jewilh 
religion. He had no right to the regal 
auth rity, but was imposed on the Jews by 
the Roman power, whc n there was a con- 
tefl between Hyrcanus and Ariftobolus, 
two brothers of the Asmonian family, for 
the royal dignity. The Romans took the 
advantage of this, and Herod was declared 
king of the Jews by the fenate, and, three 
years after, affiRed by the Roman arms in 
the taking Jerufalem : and from that time 
he reigned over the Jewifh nation, in sub- 
jection to the Romans, about thirty-five 
years. Herod was a prince of a martial 
dispofition, but as he knew he had no le- 
gal right to the crown, he was guilty of 
the higheil injulHce and cruelty to keep 
pofTcflinn of that dignity which he had by 
unlawful means obtained; and never was 
at refl till he had procured the death of 
every prince who was related to it. Hav- 
ing thus erefted his throne on murder, 
treachery, and all kind-, of wick( dncss, his 
reign was such as might be expc6ted from 



such a beginning. For though he rose to 
great opulence ai.d power; though he was 
poflelled of all that his ambiti. n aspired 
to ; yet he was conflantly diflurbed by do- 
meflic div;fions, and troubles of various 
kinds, which rendered him mofl deplorably 
unhappy in the midfl of prosperity. Tho' 
he was successful in his wars, and conflant- 
ly augmenting his dominions ; though in 
the sumptuous buildings he erefted, and 
in his grandeur and magnificence, in all 
respetis, he exceeded his predeccffors, So- 
lomon only excepted ; yet his reign was 
one seric/. of plots, jealoufies, cruelties, 
murde r, and every thing that is (hocking 
to human nature. 

The flate of religion in the world, at the 
time of our Redeemer's birth, was such as 
Rood in the greateft need of a teacher sent 
from God. The various nations around 
the globe were immersed in the darkness 
of idolitry and supcrflition. And though 
the unity of God, and the immortality of 
the soul had been taught by Socrates and 
Plato, yet their sentiments were dark and 
confused, very little known amoiigfl the 
vulgar, and very little depended on a- 
mongfl the more learned. The Jews only 
retained the worfliip of the true God, 
Their temple-worfhip was the same as es- 
tablifhedby Solomon ; and the law and the 
prophets were weekly read in their syna- 
gogu s ; but they had, in a great measure, 
made the moral law void by their tradi- 
tions, and their temple-worfhip was much 
declined from the primitive glory of it s 
inflitution. 

'J he second temple had now flood up- 
wards of four hundred years. It was vafl- 
ly inferior, in magnificence and grandeur, 
to that which was built by Solomon. It 
wanted the ark of the covenant, the Di- 
vice Presence, the Urim and Thummim, 
the holy fire upon the altar, and the spirit 
of prophecy. It was firft profan( d and 
plundered by Antiochus Epiphanus. It 
had lately been difhonored by the impious 
boldness of Pompey ; and soon after by 
Craffus, another Roman general, who ra- 
pacioufly seized those vafl treasures which 
Pornpey's piety and modeily had spared. 
In a f ew years af ter came Herod, who hav- 
ing obtained the grant of the kingdcjm at 
Rome, bcfieged and took the city and 
temple. And though, in order to insinuate 



AND LIVES OF 

himself into the affections of the people, he 
did all in his power to preserve the t. mple 
from being plundered, and a few years 
after expended vaft sums in repairing and 
beautifying it ; yet, as he obtained the re- 
gal dignity by the favour of the Romans, 
he was always careful to please and oblige 
them ; and accordingly profaned the tem- 
ple with a golden eagle, which was fixed 
upon the great porch at the entrance of 
that fabric, in order to court the favour of 
the emperor Auguftus. This gave great 
offence to the J. ws, who were scrupuloufly 
exaft in the observance of the minutell 
rituals, but scandaloufly careless in the 
weightier mat ers of the law : and while, 
on every trifling occafion, they were ready 
to cry out, The temple of the Lord ! Ihe 
temple of the Lord / they had fo little re- 
gard to the divinity which dwelt within, 
that they made this holy place a market 
for tr<de and merchandise ; and filled the 
sacred aparrments with dealers, merchants, 
money-changers, and usurers. And such 
were the injuftice and extortion they prac- 
tised in the h )ly place, it was juftly obser- 
ved, that the houfe which God had ap- 
pointed for an house of prayer, they had 
converted into a den of thieves. 

However little religion there was a* 
mongft the Jews, they were very forward 
and open in their profeffion, and there were 
several parties amongfl them who violently 
opposed each othen Those who are men- 
tioned in the gospels are the Pharisees, the 
Sadducees, the Herodians and the Sama- 
ritans ; of each of these it may be proper 
to give some account. The Pharisees were 
the greateft of all the Jewifli fefts ; and by 
their pretences to extraordinary purity, 
and the fliew they made in things external, 
they drew the bulk of the common people 
after them. They maintained a kind of 
prieftly pride, and solemn ftiffness in their 
deportment, doing every thing in their 
power to attraft tfie notice, and gain the 
veneration, of the multitude. A trumpet 
was sounded before them when they gave 
alms to the poor; they made long prayers 
at the corners of ftreets, and in the markets, 
taking every occafion to exhibit the utmoft 
ofl:entation of piety and devotion. 

But the diftinguifhing charafter of the 
Pharisees was their zeal for the traditions 
of the eiders, which they conftantly main- 



HIS APOSTLES. f 

tained were of equal authority with the 
written law, as they were received from 
God himself by Moses when he was forty 
days on the mount. These traditions were 
multiplied to such an enormous number, 
that they were sufficient to fill twelve folio 
volumes : and these men pretending to an 
exaft and rigorous observance of the law 
according to these traditions, would fain 
have themselves looked upon more holy 
than others, and therefore separated them- 
selves from those whom they efteemed great 
finners and profane persons, and ref used to 
eat or drink with them. They looked 
with contempt on the common people, and 
the conftant languageof their looks and be- 
haviour was, Stand by ! Come not near 
me ! I am holier than thou ! They were 
scrupuloufly exaft in the performance of 
the minutefl rituals, and prided themselves 
in their punftuality in paying tithes of 
herbs, while they neglefted the weightier 
matters of the law. They presumed so far 
as proudly to mention their good deeds in 
their prayers, and proposed them as the 
grounds of the divine acceptance ; though, 
at the same tire, while they maintained 
the fair outward (hew of piety and good- 
nefs. they were privately guilty of great 
and fcandalous vices. This fed of the 
Pharifees, in pn cefs of time, {wallowed up 
all the other seels amongfl: the Jews; and, 
at present, it is by the traditions of the 
Pharisees, and not by the law and the 
prophetSj that the Jewifli religion is form- 
ed ; it having been corrupted by these men 
much in the same manner as the Chrifl:ian 
relijion is by the Romifli church* 

Joined with the Pharisees in the gospels, 
are the Scribes and the Lawyers, who 
were not diftinft se£ls or parties amongfl: 
the Jews, but men profefling learning, and 
chiefly followers of the Pharisees in their 
religion : for the learning of the Jews prin- 
cipally confifting in the knowledge of the 
Pharisaical traditions, and the interpreta- 
tion of the Scriptures by them, it is no 
wonder that the twelve folio volumes, 
above mentioned, found employment for 
great numbers of these men. 

Another noted se6l amongfl the Jews, at 
the time of our great Redeemer's birth, was 
the Sadducees : These, at their firft separa- 
tion, diffe red only from the Pharisees in 
their refufing to receive the tradition oi 



8 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



the cldcr.s, antl abuling by the ^vl l[(c^ law ; 
but in jiRiccIs (^1 lime, ihry tlcgcncratotl 
into an univc ilal Icopticilni ; and, Vikc our 
modern DcilLs, they neither beheved there 
exUled aood or evil i,»irits, or that there 
ivould be a relurrctlion, or a luiure Hate. 
As to the Ifi i odians, it is not To precifely 
known what their diihnguilhing tenets 
were; but as their dot-lrine is ealled ui the 
gori)el, T/id leaven of llerod, and as their 
partv takes it's name from that prince, it is 
to be luppol'ed their partieular opinions 
were derived from him : now as, from his 
general charader and conduft, we may 
conclude that the dc ctrine of the Saddu- 
cees would be very agreeable to him, as it 
delivered hini from the fears of an here- 
after, and as it is well known that as foon 
as he was fecurely fettled on his throne 
(having cut off' all the heirs of the Afmo- 
nian familv) he began to introduce Pagan 
cuftoms amongft the Jews ; it is very likely 
that the Herodians held nearly the fame 
fentiments as the Sadducees, and that they 
approved the conduft of Herod, in the in- 
trodutlion of the Heathen fupcrllitions. 

It is neccfTary, laftly, to give fome ac- 
count of the Samaritans : Thefe people 
■v\'ere not of Jewifh extraftion, but were the 
offspring < f thofe Heathen nations whom 
the king of Affyriafentto dwell in the land 
of Ifrael, in the room of the ten tribes who 
vere carried av»'ay captive. Thofe people 
vhen firft planted in the land, were griev- 
oufly annoyed by lions ; and suppofing 
that this misfortune arofe from their being 
ignorant of the worffiip of the god of the 
land (for the Heathens fuppofed that every 
land had it's peculiar deity) they applied 
to Efarhaddon, the grandibn of the king 
who carried them captive, and he fent 
them an Ifraelitifli prielt, who taught them 
the worffiip of God according to the law of 
Mofcs. They now took the God of Ifrael 
into the number of their deities, and wor- 
shijjped him in conjun6tion with the gods 
of the nations from whence they came. 
Hence, when the Jews returned Irom the 
Babyloniffi captivity, and, by the per- 
miffion and aniRance of Cyrus king ol" 
Perfia, were buildin<^ their temple, the 
Samaritans, as they m part prolelled the 
fame religion, propofed an alliance with 
them, and offered ineir uffiffancc in carry- 
ing on the work. This the Jews abruptly 



refused, which gave fuch offence to the 
Samaritans, that they took all poffible 
pains to obffrutl them in the undertakinsr • 
and, by corrupting the officers of Cyrus, 
prevailed so far, that the work was inter- 
rupted for a confidcrable time. After 
lome years, the Jews obtained a freffi de- 
cree from Darius, the third Perfian king; 
from Cyrus, and the temple was finifhed 
and dedicated. But the city of Jerusalem 
lay in a ruinous condition, and the Jews 
remained under great contempt and vari- 
ous difcouragcments, for about fixty years. 
At the end of this time. Divine Providence 
appeared for them, and raised them up a 
f riend in the person of Artaxerxes Longi- 
manus, the Ahasuerus of the Scriptures. 
This prince, having exalted a Jewifh young 
lady, named Efther, to be his queen, was 
a conftant favourer of the Jews ; and sent 
Ezra, a prieft of great learning and piety, 
from the Perfian court, to reform the abu- 
ses, and fettle the diforders that had arifen 
amongft them. And, in a few years after- 
wards, by the intereff of the queen, he sent 
his cup-bearer Nehemiah, to rebuild the 
walls of Jerusalem, and continue and per- 
feft the reformation which Ezra had begun. 
In the carrying on of this work, the Jews 
met with great oppofition from the Sama- 
ritans ; and hence there arose a- mortal 
hatred between the two people. The 
Samaritans, in the conteff, were chiefly sup- 
ported by Sanballat the governor of Sama- 
ria ; who having married his daughter to 
Manaffeh, the son of the Jewilh high prieft, 
prevailed so far on Darius Nothus, the sue- 
ceffbrof Artaxerxes, that he obtained from 
him a grant to build a temple on mount 
Gerizim, near Samaria ; and to make his 
fon-in-law high prieft thereof. This was 
accordintrly cffefted, and introduced a 
change in the Samaritan religion: for 
whereas they had, till now, only worship- 
ed the God ofTsrael, in conjunction with 
their other deities, they now conformed 
themselves to the worship of the true God 
only, according to the law of Moses, which 
was daily read in their new temple : from 
this time, the cities of Samaria, became 
places of refuge for those Jews who had 
been guilty ol such crimes as exposed them 
to punishment, and thither they ffed to 
escape the arm of justice. Hence, in 
process of time, arose a mongrel people^ 



AND LIVES OF 

betwixt the Jews and Samaritans. Tlie 
quarrel between them and the regular 
Jews continued, and their hatred to each 
other remained at its highest pitch. And 
though John Hyrcanus, the son of Simon 
Maccabeus, destroyed their temple, yet 
they continued a separate worship from 
the Jews. They acknowledged the au- 
thority of no other Scripture than the five 
books of Moses, which they kept in a cha- 
racter peculiar to themselves, said to be 
,the old Hebrew character, which was in 
use amongst the Jews before the Eabylo- 
^nish captivity. Though they were remark- 
able for their strictness in the observance 
of the rules of the law, yet they were more 
detestable to the Jews than were the Hea- 
then nations. When Jerusalem M'as de- 
stroyed by the Romans, about seventy 



HIS APOSTLES. ^ 

years after the birth of Chb ist, when the 
temple was burnt, and the whole nation 
dispersed, the Samaritans remained in pos- 
session of tlieir country, and there they 
continue to this day. 

Such was the state of religion amongst 
the Jews, at the time of the birth of 
Christ : nor v/ere their morals in anv 
respect superior. Their religion chiefly 
consisted in externals, and bv iheir tradi- 
tions, they explained away most of the 
excellent precepts of the moral law. Their 
great men were privately guilty of the 
most scandalous vices ; nor can it be sup- 
posed that the common people were more 
regular in their conduct,orthat they should 
escape the general corruption which uni- 
versally prevailed in the land. 



CHAPTER IL 

Of the'Promises and PrediEiicns, in the z'arious Ages of the World, relating to the 
Dignity, CharaEer, Offi.ce and Birth, of our Great and Glorious Redeemer. 



THE great King of the universe, hav- 
ing in his eternal counsels, determin- 
ed to send his only Son, at an appointed 
period of time, to accomplish the salvation 
of lost, undone sinners ; he was gracious- 
ly pleased, in the various ages of the world, 
to give such intimations of this great event, 
as were consistent with the nature of his 
moral, government, and the designs of his 
grace : and that his offending creatures 
might not grope in darkness and distress, 
■without any hope of his mercy, or know- 
ledge of the way in which he would ac- 
cept his rebellious subjects, and restore 
them to his favour, he was pleased, as scon 
as sin had entered into the world, to give 
our first parents fome hope of their resto- 
ration ; and in passing sentence on the 
serpent who had seduced them, he declar- 
ed that the seed of the woman shculd 
bruise his head ; which, though it could 
not give them a clear idea of the nature of 
their deliverance, nor of the glorious per- 
son who should accomplish it, yet it might 
be sufficient to quiet their minds, and in- 
spire them with a distant hope. What 
funher discoveries of the divine will, in 
No. 1. 



the redemption of sinners by the Son of 
God, were made to the antediluvian pa- 
triarchs, are not clearly revealed in the 
word of God ; but from the prophecy of 
Enoch, recorded by the apostle Jude, it 
may be concluded that the world was not 
ignorant of this great event : for the patri- 
arch, who could so clearly declare, Beheld 
the Lord ccmeth zcith ten thousand cf his 
saints to execute judgment on all mankind, 
cannot be supposed to be totally ignorant 
of the great person who was to sit in judg- 
ment : and the hard speeches which he 
charges ungodly sinners Vv'ith speaking a- 
gainst God, may have no indirect reference 
to the scorn, contempt, and reproach, 
which our great Redeem.er suffered from 
theungcdly and unbelieving Jews, What 
further discoveries of the great Redeemer 
"svere made to the patriarch Noah, and his 
descendants, after the flood, are not to be 
learned from the volume of inspiration ; 
but there we learn, that Abraham was call- 
ed from his idolatrous countrymen, by a 
divine manifestation, learnt the uncorruptcd 
worship of the true Gcd, and informed that 
in his seed all the nations of the world 

C 



JO 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



sluuild be blessed. Th;it this patriarch 
had a full expectation ot some exalted per- 
son, w ho was lo rise out of his family, and 
that the notion of this prevailed amongst 
his descendants, are evident from the bles- 
sing which Jacob, at his death, pronoun- 
ces on his son Judah, Gen. xlix. lo. Thr 
fciptre shall not dc-part Jrom Judah, nor a 
law-giirrfrom between hisjlet, till Shiluh 
come, and unto him shall the o-atheriufr of 
ilie people DC. The sceptre not departing 
from Judah, is here a prediction ; but the 
coming of 6Vi;/o/i at an appointed time, is 
mentioned as a thin^ already known. — 
There is no mention directly made of our 
exalted Saviour, amongst the moral pre- 
cepts ol the law ; but it is universally al- 
lowed, that the various rituals of the Jew- 
ish religion were typical of his exalted per- 
son, his offices, and the great atonement 
he made to divine justice, when he made 
his soul an offering for sin : and Moses 
could declare to Israel in plain terms, A 
prophet shall the Lord thy God raise unto 
thee from amongst thy brethren like unto me, 
and it shall come to pass thai xohosoever will 
not hear that prophet, he shall be cut off 
Jrom amongst his people. 

During the conquest of Canaan, the an- 
archy and confusion which succeeded in 
the time of the Judges, and the reign of 
Saul, we hear nothing of the Messiah. But 
the royal prophet David, in his Psalms, 
gives a veiy lively and spirited account of 
his full belief in this great descendant of 
his ; and, in language peculiar to himself, 
describes the glories of his reign, his death, 
and triumphant resurrection : for having 
a clear and full view of the Messiah's king- 
dom and reign, he, in poetic rapture, could 
cry out, Thou -will not leave my soul in hell, 
neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see 
corruption. But clearer, and stronger still, 
our great Redeemer blazes forth in the 
prophecies of Isaiah, who writes more like 
an historian than a prophet, and minutely 
particularizes the great events which at- 
tended the birth, life, and death of the Sa- 
viour of sinners. Full of prophetic fire, 
the great Isaiah could cry out, A virgin 
shall conceive and bear a son, and call his 
name Immanuel. And having a clear view 
of his sufferings and death, he could add, 
He was led like a sheep to the slaughter ; 
and as a lamb before ficr shearers is dumb, so 



he opened nut his mouth. He zcas taken 
from prison & judgment ; who shall declare 
his generation For the transgression cf 
m\ people icas he smitten. He made his 
grave with the nicked, and the rich in his 
death. But he was zvoundcd for our trans- 
gressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, 
the chastisement of our peace was upon him, 
and by his stripes we are healed. The suc- 
ceeding prophets were very clear and ex- 
press in their descriptions of the kingdom 
of the Messiah. The prophet Jeremi^ih 
paiticularly mentions the thirty pieces of 
silver for which he was sold ; and the pro- 
phet Daniel pointed out the particular time 
when he should make his appearance in 
the world. Seventy zveeks, sa)'s the angel, 
are determined upon thy people, and iipon 
thy holy city ; to finish the transgression, to 
make an end of sin, to make reconciliation 
for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting 
righteousness ; to seal up the vision and pro- 
phecy, and to anoint the Most Holy. From 
these plain and frequent d' clarations of 
their prophets, the Jews had a full and 
clear expectation of the coming of the 
Messiah : and they had an old tradition 
amongst them, which was generally receiv- 
ed, and supposed to come f rom Elias, that 
the Messiah ; should appear in the four 
thousandth year of the world which acccr- 
dmgly came to pass. Nor was the expecta- 
tion of our Redeemer's birth confined only 
to the Jews ; a tradition prevailed amongst 
the Eastern nations, that a great king was 
to be born to the Jews, who would be 
worthy to be worshipped ; which is mani- 
fested from the w^ise men coming to Jeru- 
salem, to inquire after this glorious person, 
havinii seen his star in the East, and beino- 
desirous not only to see the young king, 
but to present their offsprings before him. 
Nor must it be omitted, that amongst the 
oracles of the Sibyls, at the time of our 
Saviour's birth, in such high repute at 
Rome, are various predictions of the times 
of the Messiah : and the poet Virgil, wdio 
wrote in the beginning of the reign of 
Augustus, composed his Follio, which con- 
tains the prediction of a heavenly child 
soon to be born, whom he calls the Son of 
God, and describes his kingdom in a man- 
ner which is parallel to several sublime 
passages in the prophet Isaiah, descriptive 
of the glorious Redeemer of mankind. 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



11 



CHAPTER 



IIL 



The Angel appears to Zacharias, in the Temple, and foretells the Birth of John the 
Baptif, the forerunner of our Great Redeemer. Zacharias doubting, is fruck 
dumb for a Sign. The Salutation of the Virgin Mary. Her Visit to her R lation 
Elizabeth, the wife of Zacharias. 1 he Birth and Circumcision of John the Baptijt. 
Zacharias s Mouth is opened : His Prophecy. 



THE happy time being near at hand, 
fixed by the Triune God, for our 
great Redeemer to make his appearance 
in the world, called in Scripture, The ful- 
ness of time, it pleased the Eternal King 
of heaven and earth, to give notice to 
mankind, that this exalted person would 
soon be manifested, and the bent fits ari- 
sing from his mission obtained. God had 
declared by his prophets, that before his 
Son appeared in the world, A messenger 
should go before his face, to prepare his way. 
This messenger was further described, un- 
der the character of the prophet Elijah ; 
and in another place he was called, 1 he 
voice rf one crying in the wilderness, prepare 
ye the way oj the Lord, and make straight, 
in the desart, a high-way for our God. In 
the accomplishment of those prophecies, it 
was necessary that John the Baptist, the 
forerunner of our great Redeemer, should 
first be born; and, accordingly, the Angel 
Gabriel was sent from heaven to give no- 
tice of the birth of this great herald of the 
Lord of life. The persons destined to be 
parents to this extraordinary man, were 
Zacharias, a pious priest, and his wife Eli- 
zabeth ; who were both of the family of 
Aaron, and blameless in the observance of 
the law. But, though they had lived from 
their youth in the married state, they were 
not blessed with any offspring, and were 
both so far advanced in years, that, accord- 
ing to the course of nature, no issue could 
be expected from them. The priests that 
officiated in the temple of Solomon, were 
divided into twenty -four courses ; every 
course began its service on the Sabbath- 
day, and continued all the week. Only 
four of these courses returned from the 
Babylonish captivity ; the rest were either 
extinct, or tarried behind. But, that the 
number of twenty-four might still subsist, 
each course divided itself into six ; the 
new ones taking upon themselves the nam-es 



' of those who were wanting. Zacharias 
Was of the course of Abia, one of .he new 
ones in this sub-division, and the eighth in 
the order of the twenty-four. It was the 
lot of this aged priest to burn incense in the 
htly place; and while the smoke o the 
incen.^e ascended, the people, according to 
custom, were praying in the outward ccurt. 
As the good piies-t stood by the altar of 
incense, the angel appeared in view, all 
br-ght and glorious, as a native of the sky. 
Zacharias, at the sight of the heaven y 
messenger, was filled with terror and dis- 
may ; but the angel, with condescending 
goodness, thus addressed him : Tear not- 
Zacharias, for thy praytr is heard, ajid thy 
wife Elizabeth shall bear tliet a son, and thou 
shalt call his name John. And thou shalt have 
Joy and gladness, andmany shall rejoiceat his 
birth: for he shall be great in the sight (f the 
Lord, and shall neither drink wine nor strong 
drink : & he shall be pilled zvith the Holy Ghost, 
evenf'om his mother s womb. And mary of the 
cliiidrtn of Israel shall he turn unto the Lord 
their God. And he shall go htjore him in 
the spirit and pozcer of Llias, to turn the 
hearts of the jathers to the chitdren, and the 
disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make 
ready a people prepared J or the Lord. As 
Zacharias was one of the pious Jews who 
waited for the consolation of Israel, doubt- 
less he had often prayed that he might live 
to see the Messiah come which was the 
prayer that the angel assured him was 
heard ; but that his wife Elizabeth should 
bear a .son, who should be the forerunner 
of the Redeemer of Israel, seemed a th ng 
so extraordinary, and out of the course of 
nature, that the priest could not believe it, 
though asserted by an angel ; and there- 
fore replied to the heavenly messenger : 
Whereby shall I know this ? Tor I am an 
old man, and 7ny zcife well stricken in years. 

The bright commander of the angelic 
squadrons seemed displeased that Zacha- 



12 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



rias should question the truth of his pic- 
«liction ; anil tlicreforc proceoded to let 
liiin know hisdii^nity. anil the high place 
lie oceupied ui the heavenK' world ; .\nd 
the conscqueinud iinpossibiliiy that he 
should deceive Inin. Know, said he, that 
/ am Gahricl that stand in the prefcnce of 
Codf and am sent iVom heaven, to speak un- 
to thee, and to shexo thxx these ^ojad ti- 
dings. But, as thou hast presumed to call 
in question the truth of the heavenly mes- 
sage, thou shall be dumb, and not be able to 
sbeak until these things shall be performed : 
for though thou hast not believed my 
words, they nevertheless are true, and 
shall be performed in their season. The 
priest, astonished at the vision, stayed long- 
er in the holy place than usual ; at which 
the people, who waited without for his 
benediction, were much surprised : at 
last he came to them, but found the pre- 
diction of the angel awfully fulfilled; for 
when, according to the course of his of- 
fice, he was to bless the people, he could 
not speak : but fignified to them by figns, 
that he had seen a vihon, which was the 
cause of his dumbness ; and, the week of 
his adminiflration being accomplifhed, he 
returned to his house. Soon after this, his 
wife Elizabeth found herself with child, but 
made a secret of ner conception for the firfl 
five months, contenting herself with giv- 
ing God thanks in private, for his great 
goodness in taking away the reproach of 
her barrenness, and revolving in her mind, 
with wonder and praise, the unsearchable 
counsels of God, and his great goodness to 
the children of men. 

Six months after this, the angel Gabriel, 
the same who had appearc d to the prophet 
Daniel, and foretold the very time of our 
Redeemer's birth, and had lately predicted 
to Zacharias the birth of his forerunner, 
was sent fr^ in the heavenly regions, to the 
city of Nazar. ili, to an amiable and virtu- 
ous virgin, named Mary, supposed to be 
about fifteen years of age. She was of the 
house and lineage of David, and was es- 
poused to a good man; supposed to be a 
widower, and pretty far advanced in years, 
named Joseph, wOvo was also of the royal 
line of David. The husband had not 
taken home his wife, but fhe remained a 
virgin at her father's house : and while, at 
her private devotions, the angel appeared 1 



to her arrayed in heavenly brightness ; and 
with a condescending smile, saluted hcr 
in terms of the higheis respect : Ha? I Mary. 
he died, thou art highly favoured: the 
Lord is with thee : blessed art thou amongjl 
zvomen. Tiie pious maid was not more 
surprised at the blaze of heavenly glory 
which fhone around her, than at the salu- 
taiion of the cceleflial messenger, to whom 
fhe knew not how to reply. When the 
angel rejoined, with looks and accents of 
such kindness, and heavenly goodness, 
as dissipated every fearful apprehension : 
Fear not, Mary ; for thou hast found fa- 
vour zoith God. And behold thou .skalt con- 
cieve, and bring forth a Son, and shalt call 
his name Jiiisus ; he shall be great, and 
shall be called tlic Son of the Highef ; and 
the Lord God shall give him tJie throne of 
his father David, and he shall reign over the 
house of Jacob forever ; and oj his kingdom 
there shall be no end. The holy maid, not 
immediately recollecting that the prophet 
Isaiah had, in his predictions of the Mes- 
siah, said, Behold a virgin shall conceive, 
and bear a son : and being conscious of 
lier purity, did not, like Zacharias, require 
a fign ; but modeflly inquired how Iier 
pregnancy could be effected in lier virgin 
flate. How, said fhe can this be, seeing J know 
not a man? To which the angeJ, with 
condescending goodness, replied, The 
Holy Ghost fall come upon thee, and the 
power oJ the Highcf. fhall overfiaddow thee : 
therefore also that holy thing which fhall be 
born of thee fiall be called the Son (f God. 
And though the holy maid had not requi-* 
red a fign, whereby fhe might be assured of 
an event so wonderful, and contrary to 
the eflablifhed order of nature, the liea- 
venly guefl was pleased to give her this 
satisfaction : And belwld, faid he, thy cou- 
sin Elizabeth, fie hath also conceived a son, 
in her old age.and this is the fxth month 
zoith her zoho was coUcn barren : for with 
God nothing fiall be impoffiblc. 1 his reply 
was accompanied with such a manifeft- 
ation of the Divine Presence, that it re- 
moved every fear, and filled the wonder- 
ing maid with heavenly gladness, which 
fhe had not known before. The expect- 
ation of the Messiah was general at this 
time throughout the Jewifh nation, and 
ff rong were the desires of Judah's daugh- 
ters for the honour and happiness of being 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



ihe mother of the Redeemer c f Israel ; 
and the holy maid, it may be expected, 
had ardently wilhed for this great blessing : 
so that, with growing joy and exultation, 
she immediately replied to the bright arch- 
angel. Behold the handmaid oj the Lord, he 
it unto me according to thy word. 

Soon after the departure of the angel, 
the holy virgin, regarding with joy of 
heart what the heavenly messenger had 
related concerning her relation and friend, 
went to the hill country of Judea, to pay 
a visit to her cousin Elizabeth. It is sup- 
posed that Zacharias lived at Hebron, the 
city of David, before he went to Jerusa- 
lem, formerly inhabited by giants, but 
taken by Joshua ; and, when the land was 
divided, given to the tribe of Judah : which 
city was about seventy miles from Naza- 
reth. The joy that inspired the blessed 
virgin, gave her such a flow of spirits, that 
she lightly tripped over the mountains ; 
and as soon as she arrived at the house of 
her dear relative, the pious matron was 
filled with divine illuminations, and so af- 
fected at the sound of the maiden's voice, 
that the evangelist informs us, the babe 
leapedin her womb, And, being filled with 
heavenly rapture, she addressed the wond- 
ering maid in the same language which 
she had lately heard from the angel, hless- 
ed art thou amongst women ; to which she 
added, and bleJJ'ed is the fruit of thy womb: 
and still continuing full of heavenly ardour, 
she exclaimed. And zuhence is this to me, 
that the mother of my Lord fiould come to 
me I She then proceeded immediately to 
inform her of her happy pregnancy, For to, 
said she, as soon as the voice of thy salutation 
sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my 
womb for joy. And then, in full assurance 
of the fulfilment of the divine predictions 
respecting them both, she added. And 
blessed is she that bdieveth, for there shall 
be a performance of those things which were 
told her Jrom the Lord. The divine flame 
of holy love and joy, which glov/ed in the 
heart of the pious matron, soon catched in 
the bosom of the holy virgin ; who, con- 
firmed beyond all possibility of a doub*^, in 
the truth of the angel's prediction, by what 
she had now heard from her dear relation, 
proceeded with a heart full of holy grati- 
tude and humble joy, to bless, and praise, 
andmaCTnify the name cf the Lord, for his 
No. I. 



13 

great goodness to her, in appointing her to 
be the mother of the Messiah. 

After three months stay with her dear 
relative, the virgin Mary returned to her 
own city Nazareth ; and being now the 
fourth month, her pregnancy plainly ap- 
peared ; which gave great concern to Jo- 
seph her espoused husband. But though 
he apprehended she had been seduced, yet 
having a sincere affection for her, and be- 
ing of a kind compassionate disposition, he 
was not willing to proceed to the severity 
of the law ; which, in this case, was no 
less than her being stoned to death at the 
door of her father's house. But as he had 
just reason to suppose that her honour 
could not be vindicated, and being a strict 
observer of the law, he was not willing to 
take her to his bed ; but stood determined 
to break the marriage contract as privately 
as possible. While, with great vexation 
and trouble, he was ruminating on these 
things, the angel of the Lord appeared to 
him in a dream, and informed him of the 
nature of his wife's pregnancy ; giving him 
at the same time full satisfaction concerning 
her innocency. Fear not said the heaven- 
ly vision, Joseph, thou son of David, to 
take unto thee Mary thy wife ; for that 
which is conceived m her, is of the Holy 
Ghost. And she shall bring fourth a Son, 
and thou shalt call his name Tesus, for he 
shall save his people from their sins. It 
was with unspeakable joy, that the gOod 
roan received this information ; and, not 
hesitating a moment respecting the truth 
of the heavenly message, he took the love- 
ly maid home to his house. But the evan- 
gelist inform.s us, that he hi.cw her not, till 
she had brought forth her first-born son. 

While these tilings were in agitation at 
Nazareth, Elizabeth the wife of Zacharias 
the priest, and relative of the favoured 
virgm, havirig completed the full time of 
her pregnancy, was delivered of a fon. 
The reproach of her barrenness being thus 
removed, her neighbours and friends re- 
joiced with her ; the whole family smiled 
at the event, and every heart wa:^' glad. 
On the eighth day, when they attended on 
the sacred rite of circumcision, the rela- 
tions p roposed that he should be named 
Zacharias, after his father ; but the mo- 
ther informed them that his name must be 
John. All the guests wondered at this, 



1-1 



L IFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



because it was a name never known in the 
family, and for the decision of the affair, 
they applied to the fallier. Tlie good 
man being dumb since the appearance of 
the angel who predicted the birth of the 
child, could not inform them, but made 
signs for a wriiino; table, and wrote Ills 
7iamt' is John. The relations wontlered 
at this, but more at observing the old man's 
dumbness to cease from that moment, 
wh(\se voice, rising clearer and stronger 
for having been so long suppressed, raised 
loud strains of joy and gladness, and lofty 
praises to the God of Israel for his great 
goodness, in remembering and visiting his 
people ; and, lull of prophetic rapture, 
turning to his infant son, And thou child, 
said he, shalt be called the prophet of the 
Highest : for thou shalt go he/ore the face 
of the Lord, to prepare his ways ; to give 
hiozoledt^e of salvation unto his people, by 
the remission of their sins, through the ten- 
der mercy of our God ; whereby the Day 
s>pnng from on high hath visited us, to 



give light to them that sit in darkness, and 
in the skadoxo of death to guide our feet in- 
to the zcay of peace. Such were the cir- 
cumstances which attended the birth of 
tlie forerunner of our great Redeemer ; 
the report of which soon spread through 
the hill country of Judea : and various 
were the conceptions of the people con- 
cerning the future greatness of the child. 
The infant soon grew strong and robust, 
he was remarkably simple and abstemious 
in his diet, plain and careless in his dress, 
and addicted to solitude and contempla- 
tion. Sacred history gives us no informa- 
tion what afterwards became of his pa- 
rents ; but there is a tradition that the 
mother fled into the deserts with her in- 
fant son, to preserve him from the rage 
of Herod ; and that the father was flain m 
the outer court of the temple, by the or- 
ders of that tyrant ; and is that Zacharias 
which Christ mentions, whose blood was 
shed between the temple and the altar. 



CHAPTER IV. 

Th: Birth of Christ, with all th* various Circumstances that attended it, viz. An 
Angel bnngetk the News thereof to the Shepherds ; the heavenly Hoji praise God; the 
Shepherds, fndmg it to be as the Angel had said, glorify God; and the Circumcifion 
of Christ. 



THE great King of the creation and 
righteous Governor of the universe, 
Having fixed in his eternal counsels, both 
the time and the place where his only son 
was to be born ; so ordered the affairs of 
the world, as to bring his great predictions 
and gracious designs to pass. And as he 
over-rules the counsels ot princes, and de- 
termines the actions of men, so as to an- 
swer the wise ends of his government, and 
accomplish the designs of nis grace ; so in 
this present instance, there is a remarkable 
manifestation of divine wisdom and power 
co-operating to bring about this great 
event. The holy Virgin and her husband 
dwelt at Xazarcih ; and, according to the 
prophet's prediction, the Messiah was to 
be born at Bethlehem, which was at a con- 
siderable distance : but to bring the great 



prediction to pass, Divine providence so 
ordered it, that about three years before 
the time of our Redeemer's birth, a decree 
passed at Rome, by the order of the em- 
peror Augustus, that a survey should be 
taken, and a register made, of the per- 
sons, eftates and wealth, contained in his 
vafl empire. This survey seems not to 
have been taken with an immediate design 
of taxation, but rather from views of am- 
bition, or that the emperor might know 
the number and riches of his subjects ; for 
there were no taxes gathered by the Ro- 
mans till eleven or twelve years after this, 
when Archclius the son of Herod, was de- 
posed (or his tyranny and oppression, and 
Judea reduced into the form of a Roman 
province ; for Herod, and the rest of the 
tributary kings, received the taxes of their 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



^5 



subjects, and paid such tribute to Rome 
as was stipulated between them and the 
emperor. This survey, having been car- 
ried through various provinces and king- 
doms which were subject to Rome in the 
two years past, was now making in Judea ; 
and every family received orders from He- 
rod to repair to their own city, to give an 
account of their real or personal estates, 
and there to be registered. Joseph and 
Mary his wife, being both of the family of 
David, were obliged on this occasion to 
take a journey to the ancient city of Beth- 
lehem. The evangelists Matthew and 
Luke have each inserted in their Gospels, 
the genealogy of Jesus Chr ist, in which 
there is so great a variation, that it is with 
reason concluded, that Matthew gives us 
the genealogy of Joseph, and Luke of the 
Virgin Mary ; that it may appear they 
were both of the house and lineage of Da- 
vid : one rising through Solomon, and 
the other through Nathan, another son 
of that prince. Though the holy Virgin 
was great with child, and near the time of 
her delivery, she could not be excused 
from this long journey. The town of 
Bethlehem w^as crowded on this occasion ; 
every inn, and every house of hospitable 
entertainment was full : the extraordina- 
ry persons who are the subjects of our pre- 
sent attention, made no great appearance 
in the world, and could not command the 
best accomodations : and while those, 
whose superior affluence commanded res- 
pect, took up the best apartments of the 
mns. the mother of the great Messiah was 
content to lodge in a stable ; and there, 
having accomplished the full time of her 
pregnancy, she was delivered of her hea- 
venly son. 

Some have supposed, that, as she had 
conceived by the mighty power of God, 
she brought forth her sfm without pain, or 
common assistance. The stable in which 
our great Redeemer was born, is said to be 
a cave cut out of a rock ; and it is not un- 
likely that he was born in the night. In 
this situation the holy Virgin, havhig 
brought forth her son, wrapped the infant 
in swaddling clothes, and, having no better 
accommodations, laid him in a manger. 
What an amazing instance of condescen- 
sion was this ! The Son of the Eternal God ! 
The Heir of all things ! The Daiiing of 



the skies ! Who was worshipped by angels, 
and held in veneration equal with heaven's 
Great Supreme ; to become man ; to take 
human nature upon him in its most help- 
less and feeble state ; to lay aside his starry 
crown, and all the glories of his heavenly 
dignity, and become a sucking child ! One 
would have thought, that when the Great 
King of the universe condescended to be- 
come man, and appear in this world ; that 
he would have been received by the inhab- 
itants of the earth with tokens of the high- 
est regard ; and that every thing great and 
good, every thing grand and noble, would 
have been prepared to honour and accom- 
modate the Mighty Prince. It might have 
been particularly expected, that the nation 
which he chose for his residence, that peo- 
ple whom he condescended to make his 
countrymen, would have received him with 
the highest acclamations, and warmest to- 
kens of honour and respect. But how con- 
trary to this were the councils of heaven! 
how opposite to this, the appearance of our 
great Redeemer ! When great princes are 
born, the city of their birth rings with ac- 
clamations, and the illuminated night shines 
like the day. But when cur exalted Re- 
deemer was born, all was silent, all was still. 
Not the poor peasant, who first draws 
breath in the homely cottage, steals into 
the world less unobserved, than did the Son 
of God. He, in all probability, was born 
in the night, perhaps without light, or by 
the glimmering of a wmking taptr. When 
great princes are bom, they are wrapped 
in fine linen, and adorned with mantles of 
purple fringed with gold : the floors of 
their apartments are decorated with splen- 
did carpets, the windows are adorned with 
noble hangings, and they lie on a bed of 
state, which shines with crimson and with 
gold. But our great Redeemer, the Sa- 
viour of mankind, the greatest Prince that 
ever was born into the world, received no 
honour, no tokens of respect ; was receiv- 
ed with no demonstrations of joy ; had no 
splendid apartment, no rich decorations: 
but was brought forth in a stable, without 
any personto put onthe poor habit prepared 
for him, but his virgin mother, who herself 
wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and 
laid him in a manger : but though our 
glorious Redeemer was received, by the 
inhabitants of the earth, with no tokens 



i6 



LIFE OF JESUS CIIRI ST 



loy 



ot respect, or demonstrations ol 
iliouoli he was broiiulu forth intheincoin- 
moilious hums ot a stable, and Ids toin- 
panions wc re ilie beasts oi the held ; he 
was not neglected nor drsregarded by the 
bngiu nati\es oi the heaveidy world. A 
squadron ot shining cherubs was dispatch- 
ed Iroin the eternal throne, to proclaim 
the great event, to congratulate the won- 
dering world on tlu-ir great Deliverer's 
birth, and proclaim the approach ol the 
exalted Prince of peace. But this rejjort 
was to be made; not to the great Saniic- 
<lrim ; not to the learned doctors of the 
law ; not to the chief priests and elders : 
but to a C(Miipany of poor shepherds, who 
were watching their flock by night, in the 
fields of Bethlehem. The rays of heaven- 
ly glory which attended this ihining train, 
breaking through the darkness of the 
night, alarmed and terrified the artless 
swains. But one of the angels calh d to 
them from on high : Fcarnor, forbcliold I 
bring you good tidings of great joy, which 
shall be to all people ; for unto you is born 
this day in the city of David, a Saviour, 
which IS Chrijl the Lord. And this shall 
he a fign unto you, ye Jhall find the babe 
■wrapt in swadling clothes, lying in a man- 
ger. No sooner had the angel uttered these 
■words than the rest of the squadron, who 
attended him down the skies, appeared ; 
a flood of light illumined the whole con- 
cave of heaven, and angels songs were 
heard on earthly ground. Glory to God in 
thehighejl, on earth peace, and good xvill to- 
wards men. was the flrain they sung. And, 
having ended the coeltftial concert, they 
vanifhed out of fight. Soon as the angelic 



lioll was departed, tlie wondering (licp- 
herds repaired to Bethlehem, to seek the 
heavenly mfant, whose birth had in this 
glorious manner been related. And, as the 
angels had declared, they found the holy 
child, attended only by his virgin mother, 
and his supposed father Joseph ; the babe 
was wrapped in the meanefl clothes, and 
laid ill a manger. These circumstances 
answering so perfectly to the heavenly de- 
claration, confirmed the allectcd shep- 
herds, who, with the most ardent joy, 
adored the holy infant, and related to his 
wondering parents, what a (^lorious ap- 
pearance they had seen, and what gr>. at 
things the angels had related concerning 
the child. The fhepherds then, with ex- 
ultation and joy, returned to their flocks, 
declaring to all men, the great things 
which they had seen, and praifing God 
for his condescending ijoodness, in this 
unexpected manileflation of his great de- 
figns, to persons so low and inconsiderable 
in the world. When the fhepherds were 
departed, the virgin mother of the Lord 
of life recollected, with adoration and 
praise, the various concurring teftimonies 
of the divinity of her son ; and treasured 
them up in her heart, with full expecta- 
tion of all being accomplifhed in him, 
which had been predicted by the prophets 
concerning the Redeemer of Israel. 

When the eighth day was arrived, fince 
the birth of the holy child, he was circum- 
cised in conformity to the command of the 
law of Moses ; and received the name of 
Jesus, according to the direction of the 
angel, who predicted his conception and 
birth. 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



17 



CHAPTER V. 



Christ presented in the Temple. The adoration of the Eajlern Sages. The departure 
of the holy Family into Egypt. The Murder of the Innocents. 2 he death of Herod, 
and Christ's return to Nazareth. 



THE holy Virgin and her pious hus- 
band Joseph, having performed all 
that the law required in the sacred rite of 
circumcifion, and it being neceffary, that 
the heavenly infant fhould, at the end of 
forty days be presented in the temple ; it is 
reasonable to suppose, that they remained 
at Bethlehem till those days were accom- 
plifhed : for Jerusalem was but about six 
miles from Bethlehem, but a much greater 
diftance from Nazareth the place of their 
residence. The days of her purification 
being fulfilled, the virgin mother, accor- 
ding to the rales prefcribed in the law, 
accompanied by her hufband, brought her 
young son to the temple, fhe waited in the 
outer court, while the two turtle-doves, 
which, conformable to her mean condi- 
tion, fhe had brought for her offering, 
were presented by the priefl:, as an obla- 
tion to the Lord ; fhe was then admitted 
into the inner court, where the priefl re- 
ceived the blessed infant from his mother's 
arms, and presented him to the Lord, at 
the altar of burnt offering ; and received 
the five shekels, which the law exacted of 
every family, without regard to their cir- 
cumstances, for the redemption of a first- 
born son. The God, whom Israel expect- 
ed, then suddenly came to his temple : and 
the glory of the latter house was greater than 
the former. 

While these sacred rites were perform- 
ing, a pious and venerable old man came 
into the temple, whose name was Simeon : 
he had long waited, and earneflly prayed, 
for the redemption of Israel ; and it had 
been revealed to him, by the spirit of God, 
that before he died, he should see the ex- 
alted Messiah. Accordingly the spirit, 
which had now directed his fteps to the 
temple, impressed on his mind a clear and 
flrong conviction, that the infant, now pre- 
senting at the altar, was this glorious per- 
son. Full of heavenly transp ri", he took 
the holy blessed infant in his arms, and ad- 
No. 1. 



dressed the throne of that God, who had 
thus highly favoured him, in such language 
as this : Lord, now lettest thou thy servant 
depart in peace, according to thy word : for 
mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou 
hast prepared bfore th-e face of all people ; 
a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory 
of thy people Israel. It may be supposed, 
that these words were heard with wonder 
and joy, by the parents of the holy child : 
for it must certainly seem ftrange to them, 
that the good old man should be acquaint- 
ed with the great things which concerned 
the heavenly infant ; and they doubtless 
had reason to wonder how he came by the 
information : but. turning to the virgin 
mother, he added, Behold, this child is set 

for the fall and rising again of many in 
Israel. In these remarkable words, the 
venerable old man prophesied the opposi- 
tion which the Gospel of Christ should 
meet with in the world : and shewed that 
the deftruction of many would be the con- 
sequence of their final unbelief and disobe- 
dience ; yet, at the same time, many would 
rise out of that dreadful condition, into 
which they were fallen by their sins, by 
being enabled to believe in the Son of 
God, and apply to their souls the benefits 
of his great salvation. The holy prophet 
proceeded further to inform the mother of 
our Lord, that her son should be set up as 
a mark, at which the unbelieving and diso- 
bedient should level all the darts of their 
infernal fury ; and that the sorrows that 
she would feel on that account, would be 
exceedingly cuting and painful : Yea, said 
he, a sword shall piercs. through thy ow)i 
soul, that the thoughts oj many hearts may 
be revealed. This prophecy was remarka- 
bly fulfilled, when the holy Virgin, about 
thirty-three years after this, flood by the 
cross, and, in ail the bitterness of grief, be- 
held the sufferings of her expiring son. 
Various have been the conjectures con- 

i cerning this good old man Simeon; but 



i8 



LIFE OF jESUS CttklST 



who he was^ is not decided with an)' ck^grce 
of certainly. Some have supposed him to 
be a priest ; others have imagined lie was 
Simeon tlie just, a great person who bore 
an excellent character amongst the Jews ; 
others have concluded him to be the son 
of Hillel, a famous doctor in the Sanhed- 
rim, But, as the evangelists are silent in 
these particidars, they must be left witJiout 
any further inquirv. 

The testimony of this great person was 
confirmed by that of an aged matron, 
named Anna, whom the evangelist calls a 
prophetess ; and declares, that slic departed 
not from tlic temple, but seiird God, zoitfi 
fajlings and prayers, mgkt and day. The 
meaning of which is. that she had dedicated 
herself to the- servicQof God, and con- 
stantly attended on his worship in the tem- 
ple. She had been married jn her youth, 
and lived seven years with her husband : 
after his death, she continued in a state of 
widowhood, and was now far advanced in 
years. She came into the temple, while 
the aged Simeon held our great Redeemer 
in his arms ; and, filled vv^ith heavenly rap- 
ture, blessed and praised the Lord for his 
infinite mercy, in remembering his people ; 
and spake of the heavenly child to all them 
that looked for redemption in Jerusalem. 
Every thing which the law required con- 
cerning the redemption and presenting the 
holy child, being performed, Joseph and 
his family returned to Galilee, and dwelt 
in their own city Nazareth. But, it is sup- 
posed that they did not long remain there, 
but settling their affairs, they soon returned 
to Bethlehem, and, with the heavenly in- 
fant, dwelt there. 

While the holy family dwelt at Bethle- 
hem, there came to Jerusalem, a company 
of eaffern philosophers or wise men. 'J here 
had been a tradition spread all over the 
ealtern nations, that a great king was to 
be born to the Jews, who would gain the 
empire of the world. This tradition is 
supposed to have arisen from the Jews, 
Av'ho were scattered throughout the various 
nations of the Eafl : and Zoroafler, the 
reformer of the Persian religion, said to be 
a servant to the prophet Daniel, copied in- 
to his book several passages out of the Old 
Teflament, and cinnot be supposed to 
have omitted the famous prophecies con- 
cerning the kingdom of the Messiah. At 



the time of our Redeemer's birth, a re- 
markable liar, or luminous appearance, 
was seen in those countries, which induced 
the learned men of those times to conclude, 
that this splendid luminary denoted the 
birth of that extraordinary person : and so 
fidly were they satisfied that their conclu- 
sion was true, that a company of learned 
men actually came to Jerusalem on this 
errand.- Whether they were princes, 
priefts. or philosophers ; how many they 
were in number ; from what country they 
came, or how many days they arrived at 
Jerusalem after the birth of Christ, are 
quedions which have puzzled the learned 
in all ages, but have never yet obtained a 
satisfactory answer. However, it is a cer- 
tain matter pf fact, that, when Jesus was 
born in Bethlehem in Judea, in the days of 
Herod the king, there came wise men from 
the East to Jerusalem, saying. Where is he 
that is born kmg^of the Jews ? For zve have 
seen his star in^ the East, and are come to 
toorship him. The appearance of these 
persons, the report, and- the inquiry they 
made, alarmed and terrified the jealous 
old tyrant : for though by reason of his 
years, and ill state of health, he could not 
expect long to hold the crown ; he could 
not bear the thought of a prince being 
born that was deftined to that high digni- 
ty. And, as it had been his conflant prac- 
tice to murder every one who had a great- 
er right to the crown than himself, he soon 
concluded, that the young child, when 
found, should add to the number of those 
murders he had been guilty of, to rear his 
throne, and to support it : but he craftily 
concealed his wicked design, spake to the 
strangers fair, and summoned the Sanhed- 
rim to answer their inquiry where the Mes- 
siah was to be born. He soon received 
their answer, and was informed, that Beth- 
lehem in Judea, was the place where 
Cm r 1 st was to be born : for thus it is writ- 
ten by the prophet, And thou Bethlehein, in 
the land oj Judah, art not the least amongst 
the princes oj Judah: for out of thee shall 
come a Governor, that shall rule my people 
Israel. The gloomy tyrant, satisfied with 
this reply, sent for the noble strangers ; and . 
seeming well pleased with the event, dil- 
igently inquired after every circumilance 
which mijiht throw light on the aflair : 
and sent them to Bethlehem, desiring 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



^9 



them, when they had found the child, to 
return to Jerusalem, and direct him to the 
place of his abode : and he pretended, that 
he would wait on him himself, and appoint 
him such honours as his high dignity re- 
quired. The wise men received this in- 
telligence with great satisfaction, and gladly 
set out for Bethlehem ; when, to their un- 
speakable joy, they saw, going before them, 
the same luminous appearance which they 
had seen in their own country : this glo- 
rious star stopped at Bethlehem, and stood 
directly over the house where the heaven- 
ly infant was. Thus directed by divine 
wisdom and power, they approached the 
sacred babe with adoration and joy, and 
having fallen down and worshipped him, 
they presented their offerings of gold, 
frankincense, and myrrh. But when they de- 
parted, they returned not to Jerusalem, but 
went to their own country another way ; 
for the Lord had warned them, in a dream, 
not to return to Herod with the informa- 
tion he desired. 

Here may be observed the particular 
care of Divine Providence, in the preser- 
vation of the holy child ; for Herod, who 
was one of the most crafty tyrants that ev- 
er existed, did not act in this case with his 
usual circumspection. He had no other 
notion of the Messiah, but that of his setting 
up a temporal kingdom, and supposed that 
this child would drive both himself and his 
family from jthe throne ; and on this ac- 
count he had resolved to put the infant to 
death. But is it not strange that he should 
not have went himself, or sent some of his 
,officers, or spies along with the wise men, 
and prevented the escape of his destined 
prey ? The character and conduct of 
Herod in almost every case, is contrary to 
this : but the great Governor of the uni- 
verse, when he pleases, can cast confusion 
on the councils of princes, and preserve the 
innocent from their wicked designs. 

We are not to suppose, that the satisfy- 
ing the curiosity of these noble strangers, 
was the only end which Providence, had 
in view, when it directed them, in this ex- 
traordinary manner, to the place of our 
Redeemer's birth, and inspired them with 
such sentiments concerning him. Several 
great and important ends were answered 
by this visit ; it shewed to succeeding gen- 
erations, beyond the possibility of a doubt, 



that there was an expectation, %mongst the 
heathen nations, that a great king would 
at this time appear amongst the Jews ; and 
it is manifest from hence, that there were 
prophecies amongst the Gentiles, which 
inspired them with a constant hope, that 
some great things would be done for man- 
kind by this exalted person. And it is to 
be supposed, that these great men, when 
they returned to their own country, pub- 
lished abroad through various nations, the 
tidings of what they had seen : and filling 
the world with the expectations of the 
kingdom of the Messiah, prepared the va- 
rious nations for the reception of his glori- 
ous gospel. Thus, while the Jews continu- 
ed in the blindness of obstinacy and unbe- 
lief, vast multitudes of the Heathens receiv- 
ed the gospel, rejoiced in the truth, and 
dwelt under the benign influence of the 
great Sun of righteousness. It may fur- 
ther be noted, that the coming of these 
philosophers to Jerusalem at this time, on 
such an errand, produced the determination 
of the Jewish council, that it was the lan- 
guage of the prophets, that Bethlehem 
was destined by heaven to be the place of 
our Redeemer's birth. And it may fur- 
ther be observed, that the seasonable pres- 
ents made to the holy family, by these 
beneficent and learned strangers, enabled 
the good man to support his family in 
Egypt, where they soon after this were sent 
by divine direction, to escape the murder- 
ing fury of that execrable tyrant Herod. 

The wise men being departed to their 
own country the angel of the Lord ap- 
peared to Joseph in a dream, ^saying, Arise, 
and take tfie young child and Ins mother, 
and jlee into Egypt, and he there until I 
bring thee xoord.: for Herod will seek the 
young child to destroy him. Joseph imme- 
diately obeyed the divine command, and, 
for the greater security set out from Beth- 
lehem in the night : and taking a journey 
of near two hundred miles, he settled with 
his family in Egypt, and there he remained 
till the tyrant was dead. Herod, in the 
mean time, having waited for the return of 
the wise men in vain, and knowing he was 
hated by the Jews, was so jealous, discon- 
tented^d wicked, that he mistrusted eve- 
ry body of plotting againstr him 'and, per- 
haps, concluding, that the Jews might 
conceal this child till a proper opportunity 



20 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



sliouUl ofiei" lor thcin to bring him forth, 
was f ull of rage, and, actiiatcff bv the most 
infernal cruch}', sent his soldiers to Beth- 
lehem, and the adjaeent country, with or- 
ders to kill the \ouno- children that \rcre 
inuler two years old. The troops too 
])unctually executed the orders of the 
detelted tyrant ; and it is asserted by hiflo- 
rinns, that fourtet it thousand young child- 
ren fell in this bloody massacre, and Ju- 
dahs streams ran inlant blood. The hor- 
rid cruelty of this transaction is such, that 
it is almost suHicient to stau;st-'i' our belief. 
But il we consider the conduct and char- 
acter of the man, that he was grown old in 
murder and cruelty ; that he reared his 
throne in blood ; that he was guilty of the 
most horrid murders to support it; and, 
at this yery time, was most deplorably 
miserable by quarrels in his family, and 
was constantly apprehensive of plots a- 
gainst his life : if we consider, that he had 
no friend he could trust, but was jealous of 
all about him, and thought his own sons 
conspired to poison him ; we shall not 
wonder at any degree of wickedness, which 
such a man, in such a situation, might be 
capable of committing. But this horrid 
scene, as it might be expected, was soon 
followed by peculiar and distinguished 
vengeance, which burst on the impious 
tyrant, and laid him low in death. In the 
utmost agonies of mind, and the acutest 
torments of body, he soon after this expi- 
red. He ordered the execution of his own 
son but five days before his death, and he 
commanded all the nobility of the Jewish 
nation to be put to death as soon as it was 
known that he had ceased to breathe. — ■ 
But the persons whom he trusted to exe- 
cute this last order, not being so wicked as 
himself, the noble prisoners were set at 
liberty. * 

This affecting and terrible flaughter of 
the innocents, is pathetically described by 
the evangelift, in referring to a paflage in 
the prophet Jeremiah. Then vjas fulfilled 



thai -ichick was spoken by Jeremy the pro- 
phet . saying, in Rama was there a voice 
heard, lamentaLion, and weeping, and 
great monrning ; Rachael weeping for her 
children, and would not be comjorted, be- 
cause they were not. 

Some time after tlie tyrant was dead, 
the angel of the Lord appeared to Jo- 
seph, in Egypt, in a dream, and com- 
manded him to take the young child and 
his mother, aud go into the land of llracl : 
at the same time informing him, that they 
were dead who sought the yoimg child's 
life. The good man, without heiitation, 
obeyed the heavenly vifion, and returning- 
to his native country, defigned to have set- 
tled in Judea, probably at Bethlehem. 
But when he heard that Archelaus, the 
son of Herod, iucceeded his father in Ju- 
dea, and he being a prince of a cruel dif- 
pohtion, Jofeph judged it imprudent to 
settle in his dominions ; and hearing that 
Antipas, another of Herod s sors , but more 
mild and peaceable in his temper, was go- 
vernor of Galilee, he, by divine direction, 
went thither, and took up liis abode at 
Nazareth, the former place of his refi- 
dence ; that it might be fulfilled, the 
evengelist informs us, which was spoken by 
the prophet, He shall be called a l^nzarene. 

The adversaries of our religion have 
not neglected to remark, that there is no 
such prophecy as is here referred to ; but 
very probably, it might be in some prophe- 
cy which is not transmitted to us : or, if 
the very words are not to be found, the 
thing intended is the frequent language 
of the prophets ; for, whenever Christ is 
mentioned in the gospels, as called a Naza- 
rene, it is always looked upon as a term of 
reproach ; and how applicable this is to the 
language of the prophet Isaiah, He was 
dispised and rejected of men, a man (f sor- 
rows and acquainted with grief ; we hid as it 
were our faces f om him ; he "was dispised, 
and we esteemed him not^ 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



21 



CHAPTER VL 

The Infancy of Christ and his disputing with the Doctors in the Temple. 



THE account of our Lord's childhood 1 
and youth is very sHghtly touched 
j on in the sacred writings. How he was 
i employed from his infancy, till he arrived 
at thirty years of age, is not to be found in 
any authentic history. This period in- ' 
j eludes the greatest part of his life, which i 
I is absolutely unknown to the Christian 
! world. St. Luke, who is the most parti- 
cular in his account of our Lord's younger 
\ . years, only tells us, that the child grew, and 
j waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; 
and the grace of God was upon him. And, 
speaking of his life at his father's house at 
Nazareth, he informs us, that he was sub- 
ject to his parents, and that he increased in 
wisdom and stature, and in favour with 
God and man. 

But, notwithstanding the silence of the 
sacred writings, we are not to suppose that 
the heavenly youth was subject to the com- 
mon frailties of humanity, the follies of 
childhood and youth. It may naturally 
be concluded, from what is above declared, 
that the holy child was remarkable for a 
native grandeur and majestic modesty in 
his deportment ; that his temper was the 
most amiable, not peevish and pettish, but 
all meekness, kindness, condescension, and 
goodness ; and that his mind was peculiar- 
ly turned to seriousness and contempla- 
tion. It is reasonable to suppose, that he 
was polfelfed of the most amazing faculties 
and powers of mind ; a strong retentive 
memory ; a lively imagination ; a prodi- 
gious understanding ; a penetrating judg- 
ment ; and a remarkable solidity and se- 
dateness, which led him to the most sincere 
and regular piety and spiritual exercises of 
every kind. — It is reasonable to suppose, 
that he spent much time in private retire- 
ment, and in divine meditations, and spi- 
ritual converse with his heavenly Father; 
and that he behaved, in every respect, in 
such a manner to his friends and relations 
as made him the most amiable child in the 
a2;e in v/hich he lived. It cannot be learn- 
ed from the evangelists that he had a lib- 
No. i. 



eral education ; every account we have of 
the condition ol his parents in the world 
conspires to prove that they were in low . 
circumstances. Joseph was by trade a car- 
penter. Jesus abode with his parents till 
his public ministry commenced, and, no 
doubt, worked with his supposed father at 
his trade. He is called in one place in the 
gospels, the carpenter ; and in another 
the carpenter's son : so that it may be con- 
cluded that he had no other learning than 
what his parents themselves taught him, 
and what he might gather at the synagogue 
by attending to the reading of the law and 
the prophets. But it may be learned, from 
the words of the evangelist above quoted, 
that the favour of God towards him was 
very apparent, and that the holy Spirit 
with which he was filled appeared in his. 
early youth. The wonderful advances he 
made in wisdom, the vifible flrength and 
(leadiness of his mind, and the seriousness 
and composure of his countenance, be- 
yond what ever was seen before in one so 
young, were plain vindications of his divin- 
ity, and were every day improving and in- 
creafmg* 

It was a general cuftom of the Jews to 
take a journey to Jerusalem, and annually 
attend the feaft of the pafibver. The 
parents of our Great Redeemer, with then- 
numerous relations and friends, when the 
holy child was twelve years old, went tO' 
the capital of the kingdom on this occa- 
fion. Whether the child Jesus had been 
j at Jerusalem before is not certainly known : 
it is generally concluded that he had r.ct. 
Having remained seven days with them, 
during their attendance at the temple, he 
separated himself from the company, and,- 
when they set out on their return to their 
own country, flayed. beJtind. They pio- 
ceeded on their hrft day's journey and did 
not miss him till night, suppofmg he migiit 
be in company with some of their relations, 
who had been at the holy city on the same 
occafion with themselves, and were now 
■ returning. But inquiring araongft all their 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



kindred nnd fVionds, tlicy learnt that lie 
was not in the company. Full ot aiixieiy 
and dillress, they rettirned to Jertisalem ; 
and searched every place in tlie city where 
he was like Iv to be found. Two d.iys they 
sought him in vain. On the third day, 
they f'oimd him in th-e outer court of the 
temple, amongft the learned doctors of the 
laAV, both liearini: thcin, and askini; them 
qtieitions. 

In the outer court of the temple, called 
the court of the people, were several 
chambers belonging to the priefts ; and 
here the doctors of the law affembled at 
the teaft of the paflover, and at other times, 
to teach the pt^ople ; and not only ex- 
pounded the Mosaica! inflitutions. but de- 
bated with one another, concerning the 
difficulties that occurred. Such youths as 
applied themselves to learning, were per- 
mitted to conver-^e with the aflembly : and 
received such inflructions as were neceffa- 
ry to enablt} them to pursue their re- 
spective ftudies. At this alTembly of the 
doctors, Je us presented himself, and n t 
only gave attention to their debates, and 
proposed such queftions, as naturally arose 
from the subjects under confideration ; 
but propounded several difficult quellions 
of his own, which, when the doctors could 
not clear up, he expounded himself to the 
sati-jfaction and surprise of all present. 
The learned doctors, with the utmofl afton- 
ilhment, heard the young child manifefl: 
such wisdom and deep underftanding, as 
not only exceeded men, but such men as 
were reputed the moll learned and judici- 
ous amongfl them. No doubt, there was 
something remarkably majeftic and amia- 
bly divine in his appearance ; and, as he 
led the discourse himself, we may reason- 
ably suppose, that the quellion which he 
debated with the doctors, had reference 
to some prophecy concerning the Meffiah ; 
which he threw such liglit upon, and ex- 
plained in such a manner, as raised the ad- 
miration and afloniffiment of all that heard 
him. It is certainly very flrange, that the 
admiration which the holy child excited in 
this public affcmbly, by his underflandmg 
and pertinent answers, did not excite some 
further inquiry after him. But, it is to be 
suppos. d, that the coming of such mean 
persons as Joseph and Mary, who appear- 
ed to be his parents, vcr}' much abated the 



regard which the learned doctors of the 
law would otherwise have had for so 
wonderfid a child ; but things which ap- 
pear low in the world, are always despised 
by those lazy inquirers after truth, who 
seek the praise of man, and are only can- 
didates (or popular applause. 

J<^seph and iVlary, wlio had been seeking 
tlie holy chil<l with the utmost apprehen- 
sions and concern, found him in this situ- 
ation with equal surprise and joy, Aiid 
there is no doubt but Jksus, when he per* 
ceived the approach of h s parents, arose 
and went with them immediately ; taking 
this f)ccnfion to withdraw himself from the 
admirin<r adcmbly. His mother was very 
much alF( cted with the appearance ol lier 
son, and the place and company in which 
she had found him. She gently afked him, 
]]'/iy he had lift thtm in (his viamur ? 
rather inquiring into the reason of his flay- 
ing behind, than defigning to blame or 
chide him : for no doubt, fhe perceived 
that he was under divine direction ; )et 
proceeding to infoi m him, that her hulband 
and herself had been extremely concerned 
for him, and had sought him three days 
with the utmoft anxi ty and grief, the holy 
child, with the m (l amiable meekness, in- 
formed her, that they need not have weari- 
ed themselves with seeking him, m r their 
minds with anxiety and care, f r he was 
under the protection of his Father, on 
whose bufiness he had been employed. 
The ex preflions which the heavenly ch id 
used on this occafion, were not clearly un- 
derftood by his wondering parents ; but 
his mother, on this, as on every other re- 
markable occurrence in the life andconduct 
of her son, took notice of his words and 
treasured them up in her heart; and the 
( hild Jfcsus, having given this early and 
remarkable inftance of his diligence and 
ready obedience in ti e work in which he 
was to be hereafter employe d, now pro- 
ceeded to give an open and manifcd in- 
ftance of his duty to his parents ; for he re- 
turned with them to Nazareth, and was sub- 
ject to them as before. Here he remain- 
ed till he arrived at the age of thirty years, 
and made wonderful improvements in wis- 
dom and knowledge, being favoured by 
God in an extraordinary mann r, and 
highly efteemed, reverenced, and loved by 
all that knew him. 



AND LIVES OF 



HIS APOSTLES. 



23 



^ There is nothing expressly recorded in 
the evangeliib relating to our Lord's life 
and conversation, from twelve years old, 
to the time when he entered on his public 
miniRry, which was at the age of thirty ; 
but from several paflages of Scripture, va- 
rious circumftances may be collected. It 
is plain, from his parents seeking him 
amongft his relations and acquaintance, 
when he was left behind at Jerusalem, that 
he was of a familiar, friendly dispofition : 
that he had no objection to company and 
conversation, and that he lived in familiar- 
ity and friendfliip with his neighbours and 
relations : it is also evident, that, though 
the learned doctors, and the people in the 
temple, were filled with the higheft admi- 
ration at the abilities and knowledge of 
Jesus, when a child; and, though after- 
wards, he, no doubt, gave to his mother, 
and some few particular friends, plain 
proofs of his heavenly wisdom ; yet his 
conversation with the common people was 
such, as caft a veil over his divinity ; and 
the general course of his conduct and con- 
verse with the common people was such, 
that no noise was made about him, nor any 
gr at things exjjected from him in the 
Jewifh nation, nor even in his own city. 
And it is to be supposed, that his mean 
appearance in the world, not a little con- 
tributed to prevent his being remarked and 
efleemed for those excellent qualities, 
which muft certainly be apparent in him ; 
for we find he was afterwards reproached 
in his own city, for pretending to teach 
them, when they knew the meanness of his 
extraction, and his illiterate education : 
Whence, they cried, hatk this man this wis- 
dom, and these mighty works ? Is not this 
the carpenter's son ? Is not his mother named 



Mary, and his brethren James, and Joses, 
and t^imon, and Judas ? And his sister':, 
are they not all with us ? Whence then hath 
this man all these things ! 

And it may further be remarked, that 
the blefled Jesus did not give himself any 
airs of superiority amongft his brethreii 
and friends ; but meekly condescended to 
attend to the meaneft employment, alTifiing 
the necelTities of his parents with his labour, 
and not being defirous of popular ap- 
plause. For as it is to be supposed, that 
he weekly attended on the reading the 
law and the prophets in the synagogue, 
was it notsurprifmg that he could hear the 
erroneous eXpofitions, which, no doubt, 
were frequently made, and remain filent at 
Nazareth, after he had disputed with the 
learned doctors in the temple, and filenced 
the wise men of Jerusalem? Herein ap^ 
pears the moft profound humility, and the 
moft consummate wisdom of our Lord, in 
concealitsg his superior knowledge and un- 
dcrftan Jing, when he might have gained 
the admiration and applause of his towns- 
men, and have been juftly revered and 
efteemed by all. It is supposed that Jo- 
seph did not live till Christ began his 
public miniftry, because he is not menti- 
oned in the Gospels, after John began to 
baptise, Some of the antient writers have 
pretended to inform us what was the par- 
ticular sort of carpentry which Joseph car- 
ried on : they say, it was making plows, 
yokes, and inftruments of hufbandry for 
his neighbours. And it is not uniikely, 
that our Lord lived with his mother, and 
alFifted her in carrying on the trade, after 
her hufband's death : and hence, it is sup- 
posed, he is called by St. Mark, Ihe car^ 
penter, the squ of Mary, 



24 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



CHAPTER 



VII. 



Of the Dfath of Elizabeth, and the Murder of 7.acharias. The preaching of John the 
Baptist; his OJ/ice, and Manner of Living : He bapLiselh in Jordan, and rebuketh the 
Pharisees. Ch r i st is bafjlised and receiveth a Witness from Heaven. John the Bap- 
tist imprisoned and beheaded by Herod, at the Instigation cf Herodias. 



WE muR now pass over, in the hiflory 
of the life of Christ, a period of 
eighteen years : all the account the evan- 
gel ills give of our Lord, during this time, 
is that lie dwelt at Nazareth, and was sub- 
ject to his piirents. But, having pafled 
over this time in filence, all the cvangelifls 
agree in giving the hiflory of his entrance 
on his public minillry, and the preparatory 
preacliing of his great forerunner John the 
BaptiH. 

When our Lord was about fourteen 
years of age, the emperor Auguflus died, 
after a reign of about forty years. Great 
was the grief of the \vhole empire at his 
death, for he was a prince of such a dispo- 
fuion, and reigned with auch wisdom, 
juftice, and goodness, as gained him the 
love of his subjects. He was succeeded 
by Tiberius, the son of his wife Livia, by 
a former hufband. Tiberius was admitted 
to a fhare in the government two or three 
years before the death of Auguflus and 
now succeeded without oppohtion. He 
was a prince of a dispofit ion vailly differ- 
rnt to that of his predecefr)r, and governed 
the empire in such a manner, as rendered 
him jufily hated by his subjects, Arche- 
laus, the son of Herod the Great, had 
been deposed from the government of 
Judea about three years before the death 
of Auguflus, and that country was then 
reduced into tlie form of a Roman pro- 
vince. Rufus, who was govenor of Judea, 
when th." cmj.eror died, was recalled in the 
second year ol Tiberius, and Valerius 
Gratus was sent to succeeded him. He 
having continued in Judea about eleven 
's-cars, was recalled, and succeeded by 
Pontius Pilate, a man of a fiercr, irrecon- 
( ilablc spirit, and of a cruel, covetus dispo- 
fition, too much like his mafler Tiberius, 

Hrrod Antipas, the son of Herod the 
Great, wast< trarch of Galilee ; which dig- 
nity he had enjoyed twenty-eight years. 



His brother Philip was tetrarch of Iturea ; 
and Lysanias of Abilene. The dignity of 
the high prieflhood was vefled in Caiphas, 
the son-in-law of Annas, who formerly had 
held that high office, and now was rever- 
enced by the people as high-prieft, and 
probably afhfted his son-in-law in the exe- 
cution of the sacred duties of the priefl- 
hood. 

Such was the flate of the Jewifh nation 
at the time of the opening of the glorious 
gospel ; for in the firfl year of the govern- 
ment of Pontius Pilate, the word of God 
came unto John, the son oj Zacharias, in 
the wilderness. The sacred writers have 
been filent, with regard to the manner in 
which this extraordinary man paffed the 
former part of his life ; but there is an an- 
tient tradition, that Elizabeth, hearing of 
the terrible flaughter which that execrable 
tyrant Herod made among the young 
children at Bethlehem, fled into the wilder- 
ness, to secure her child from his murder- 
ing cruelty and rage ; and there attended 
him with all the care and tenderness of an 
affectionate mother. The cliild was about 
eighteen months old at the time of her 
flight, and about forty drys after her abode 
in the desart, fhe died. His father Zacha- 
rias, next time he oflBciated in the temple, 
was flain by Herod, because he would not 
discover the place of his son's retreat. The 
helpless infant, being thus deprived of all 
afliilance from his parents, the Lord, who 
had a great work for him to accomplifh, 
had mercy on him ; and sent an angel to 
be his defender and support, till he was 
able to provide for himself. Whether this 
tradition is true or false, cannot be ascer- 
tained ; but it is a certain fact, alferted by 
the evangelifts, that he abode in the desart 
till the day of his fiewing unto Israel. 

Some learned men, who liave been at 
great pains in endeavouring to fix the 
I precise time when the prophet John began- 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



his public miniftry, have fixed it to the 
month of October, and at the time of the 
proclamation of a year of jubilee. They 
say, that his preaching began on the great 
day of atonement, when the high-prieft 
went into the holy of holies. This was a 
particular day of penitence, and, it is said 
in the law, whosoever did not afflict his 
soul, fhould be cut off from the people. 
This day is supposed to answer to our 
nineteenth of October, and was the day 
whereon, by the solemn sounding of trum- 
pets, the thirtieth jubilee of the Jews was 
proclaimed, which was the laft they ever 
saw. 

The extraordinary person, in his ap- 
pearance, and his way of life, very much 
resembled the antient prophets, particular- 
ly Elijah, to whom he had been compared 
in prophecy. The coarseness of his cloth- 
ing, and the hardness of his fare, were 
very remarkable : his garment was made 
of cammel's hair^ probably the sackcloth 
so often mentioned in the sacred writings, 
to be worn by penitents and mourners ; 
and his food, the wild productions of the 
wilderness : locufts and wild honey, were 
his only provihons, and his drinkj the clear 
cold water which bubbled from the moffy 
spring. In this fituation, he began the 
work of God, and preached in the wilder^ 
ness of Judea, Repent ! Jor the kingdom 
oj heav.n is at hand. The remarkable 
aufterity of his life, and the air and appear- 
ance of the old prophets, which he aS'^ 
sumed, commanded reverence from the 
people ; and his whole demeanorj being so 
particularly adapted to the doctrine of re- 
pentance which he taught^ engaged the at- 
tention of the public. Nor is it any 
wonder, that great notice fhould be taken 
of so remarkable a person, at a time when 
the whole nation earneftly expected the 
appearance of the Mefhah. And as he 
preached the neceffity of repentance, be- 
cause the kingdom of heaven was at hand, 
and had a commifhon from God, tO bap^ 
tise in water, those v7ho confefled their 
fins, and adhered to his miniftry, great 
numbers of all ranks, sects and characters, 
surrounded him in the desart, and,, con- 
fefTmg their unworthiness and finfulness, 
were baptised by him in the river Jordan." 

John, Vv'hen he began his miniftry did 
not come to Jerusalem, or the adjacent 
No. 2. 



cities , of Judea, but continued about the 
banks of the noted river Jordan, which, 
on many accounts, seemed proper to fa- 
vour the defigns of his preaching; for 
there had been so many wonderful things 
transacted near this sacred ilream, that it 
naturally prepared the minds of the peo- 
ple to expect something extraordinary. 
Near the banks of this river it was that 
the prophet Elijah, who was the type of 
John the Baptift, was taken in a fiery 
chariot up to heaven : and what could be 
more natural, than to see the great person, 
who was the Elias spoken of by Malachi, 
discover the spirit and power of that great 
ancient prophet, near the flream which 
formerly was divided by the flroke of his 
mantle. 

A circumflance which greatly surprised 
the Baptifl, was the great numbers of Pha- 
risees and Sadducees who attended his 
miniflry, and came to his baptism. The 
Pharisees, he kneWj pretended to the 
highefl degree of sanctity and holiness of 
life; and the Sadducees believed there 
would be no future flate of rewards and 
punifhment. It was therefore surprifmg, 
that either of these parties fhould seek af- 
ter remiffion of fins, for the former pre- 
tended to have no fins that required par- 
don, and the other nothing to expect after 
death, as the consequence of them. Nor 
can we suppose that John, when he began 
his miniftry, expected to see the whole 
nation so much affected with his threaten- 
ings as was really the case ; for he knew 
that the common people had a great de- 
pendance on God's covenant with Abra- 
ham, and expected to find favour with the 
supreme Governor and Judge of the uni- 
verse on that account : to check their dar- 
ing presumption, and discourage every 
hope of divine favour, while they lived 
ungodly and immoral lives, he addreffed 
them in this alarming language, 0 gene- 
ration of vipers ! who hath warned you to 
fiee jrom the wrath to comt? Bring forth 
fruits th&rejore worthy of repentomce, and 
begin not to say we have Abraham to our 
fatJier ■ for I say unto you, that God is able 
of these Jiones to raise up children to Abra- 
ham. And now the axe is laid unto the 
root of the tree : every tree therefore, which 
bringeth not forth good fruit, is heim 
down and caft. into the fire. The Baptifl 
\ G 



25 



LIF£ of JESUS CH RIST 



thus demoliflied eveiy hope of divine ac- 
cepiiuue anliiio- From the covenant Go( 
made with Abraham ; and proclaimed to 
the world, thai ilie olorics ot his kino;dom 
would fhonly be ix'vealed, and a way o 
acceptance opened, to which a hearty and 
lincere repentance of lin was a necedary 
preparative. The awful manner in w4iich 
tliis great man pronounced these solemn 
trutlis alarmetl and terrified the nation 
and a mixt multitude crouded around him, 
full of anxiety and trouble, inquiring what 
they fhould do. In answer to this, he in- 
formed them, that an hearty and fmcere re 
pentance of their fins, Ihould be ac 
comj)auied with acts of mercy and benev- 
olence. He that hath two coats, said he, 
Icthivi impart to him that hath none ; and 
he that hath meat, let him do likewise. A- 
mongit the multitudes which surrounded 
this w(^nderful man, were numbers of pub- 
licans, who were collectors of the Roman 
taxes. They were, on that account, odi- 
ous to the Jews, and had rendered them- 
selves more so, by injuftice and extortion. 
As theirs was a particular case, they appli- 
ed to him for particular advice, and his 
answer was, Exact no more than that 
zchich IS appointed you. Similar to their 
case, was that of the soldiers ; w'ho being 
men trained up to cruelty, (laughter, and 
all the terrors of war, and whose pay was 
so scanty, that they were very apt to plun- 
der for subfiftcnce ; they were exceeding- 
ly terrified at the awful vengeance de- 
nounced by the prophet ; and, with the 
ntinolt seriousness and concern, inquired 
they {hould do ; to which 



of him what 

he replied. Do violence to no man, neither 
accuse any falsely, and be content with 
your wages. 

The. Baptifl: commenced his preaching 
fix months before Christ was baptised, 
and vaft multitudes resorted to him from 
Jerusalem, from the other parts of Judca. 
and even from Galilee, deeply affected with 
his discourses, dreading divine vengeance, 
and confffiing their various vileness, they 
were baptized by the holv man in the riv- 
er Jordan. He was now generally known 
and acknowledged for a prophet, and so 
imiversal was his reputation, that we read 
in the Acts of the Apofiles, of some breth- 
ren at Kj)hesus, and Apollos of Alcx- 
andr-a, who had received the baptism of 



John ; which proves, that he was resorted 
to form foreign countries ; and the dawn 
of the Sun of righteousness was seeh be- 
yond the limits of the land of Israel. 

Though John received his baptism from 
heaven, we are left in the dark C( n- 
cerning the name or names in which he 
baptized : the adminillraton of that ordi- 
nance, in the sacred names of the Faiherj 
Son, and Holy Gholt, seems peculiar to 
the inflitution of it by Jesus Christ 
himself. 

'J his confiant and unremitting course of 
preaching, delivered with holy vehemence, 
and theutmoll force of cxprciTion, accom- 
panied with a manifcff inn( cence of I fc, 
and a noble zeal in the cause c f God, 
which reproved vice and error, however 
flattered or however highly exalted, so far 
prevailed c n the people, that they would 
willingly have persuaded themselves that 
John was really the Meihah ; for it is very 
probable, that the vifion which Zacharias 
had seen in the temple, the coming of the 
Eaflern sages to Jerusalem, the prophecy 
of Simeon, the discourses of Anna, the 
perplexity of Jerusalem, and the cruelty 
of Herod, w^re frefh in the minds of the 
people, and by them applied to the Bap- 
tift, They were ready to acknowledge 
him the Redeemer of Israel ; and put the 
quefiion plainly to him, Whether ^ he were 
the Chrijl ^ A deputation of priefts and 
Levites was sent from Jerusalem, to afk 
him the quefiion in form ; to which he 
abruptly replied, I amnot the Chrijl. They 
then proceeded to enquire whether hewere 
the prophet Elijah ; to which he answered, 
/ am not. They then inquned whether he 
were one of the antient prophets ; to which 
he replied in the negative. Who then art 
thou, they inquired, and what answer may 
we give to them that sent us? What sayejl 
thou, of thyself ? To which he replied, / 
am the voice oj' one crying in the wilderness, 
make Jfraight the vjay of the Lord, as said 
the prof hk Esaias. The prieiis and Le- 
vites tnen inquired. Why baptizt fl: thou 
then, if ihcu be neither Chist, nor Elias, 
nor one of the antient prophets to this 
the Baptill answered, I baptize rutlh water, 
but there flandcth one among you, whom 
ye knoxo not: he. itis,'who coming after 
me, is preferred before me, whose fho s 
latchet I am not loorthy to unloose: he fw3 



^ i 
s 



» 

! 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



'baptize you with the Hoty Gliojl, and with 
fire; whose fan is in his hand, and he will 
'ihdr'oiigh^y purge his floor, and'will gather 
'the wheat into his garner, but the chaf he 
•will burn with fire unquenchoMe. 

While John remained at Bethabara, be- 
yond Jordan, our great Redeemer thought 
proper to leave his retirement at Nazareth, 
and repairing to his forerunner, who was 
baptizing in the river, he proposed himself 
a candidate for his baptism. He, who 
was perfectly pure and holy, could not 
ftand in need of the baptism of repentance, 
but being willing to honour the inftitution, 
he offered himiself to John, propohng to 
be baptized. John, by a prophetic spirit, 
knew the Lamb of God, acknowledged his 
superiority, and w^ould have declined the 
tafk. / have need to be baptized of thee, 
and comeft thou to me ! cried the holy man. 
Jesus calmly replied, Suffer it to be so now, 
for thus it beconieth us to fufil all righteous- 
ness. Our great Redeemer did not think 
proper to explain the case, and lay down 
the reasons why it Vv^as necelfary for him to 
submit to that inftitution ; but, by this 
reply, gave the Baptrft to underftand, that 
the divine wnll required it to be done ; it 
having a tendency to promote the great 
end for which they both came into the 
world. The good man's scruples being 
removed, the Son of God descended into 
the Itream, and received the sacred rite at 
the hands of the holy prophet. The exalt- 
ed Redeemer ascending from the water, 
kneeled dov.'n on the banks of Jordan, 
and prayed with great fen.Tncy to his 
heavenly Father. As this holy rite was 
preparatory' to his entering on his public 
rainiftry, no doubt he prayed for the afTift- 
ance of the Holy Spirit, in the great work 
which lay before him. His prayers were 
heard : a flood of heavenly glor)' immedi- 
ately illuminated the whole concave of 
the fky, and the Eternal Spirit, arrayed in 
beamy light, whose whiteness exceeded the 
Ficw fallen snow, appeared in the fliape 
of a dove, hoveringr over the head of the 
Saviour of mankind : at thre same time, a' 
voice, avvful as the thunders of heaven, yet 
soft and pleafmg as the mr-ft delightful 
mufic, proclaimed to the wondering multi- 
tude, Ihis is my beloved Son, in whom I 
am well pleased. This manifeft teflimonv 
from heaven, of tlie divinity of the holy i 



Jesus was received witli wonder and joy 
by the Baptifl : For he that sent him to 
baptize with water, the same had said urito 
him, upon whom thc2c fialt see the Spirit 
deseending, and remaining on him, the same 
is he that baptizeth witli the Holy Ghcfl. 
And, confirmed by this appearance and 
heavenly voice, beyond all pofTibility of a 
doubt, he imm.ediately cried out to the 
aftonifhed beholders, 2 his is he of -cchom I 
spake. He that cometh after me, is preferr- 
ed before me, J or he was before me ;. and of 
his fulness have we all received grace fcr 
grace : for the law was given by Moses, 
but grace and truth came by Jesus Chrifl. 
No man hath seen God at any time : the 
only begotten Son, which is in the bosom oj 
the Father, he hath declared him. 

John continued baptizing and preaching 
at Bethabara, near the banks of the river 
Jordan, at which place Jzsus came to 
him, whom when the prophet saw, he 
cried out, Behold the Lamb of God, who 
taketh away the fin of the world. ; and on 
ever}' occafion and opportunity that of- 
fered, the holy man pointed out the Re- 
deemer of Israel, and proclaimed him to 
mankind. 

John after this, continued preaching 
and baptizing : his discourses were deli- 
vered Vv'ith such freedom and plainness, 
and at the same time with such energy 
and spirit, as gave him a commanding 
influence over the minds of his hearers. 
Full of the Spirit of God, he regarded 
not the frowns of the mightv, nor sought 
the praises of man. Wiih holy boldness, 
impartial freedom of speech, and the high 
authority of a teacher sent from God, he 
reproved the vices and miscarriages of al! 
orders of men. He spared not the hypoc- 
risy of the Pharisees, the prophaneness of 
the Sadducees, the extortion of of the pub- 
licans, the rapine of the soldiers, nor the 
lewdness and inceft of Herod himiSelf, 
That prince, who v/as tetrarch of Galilee, 
had taken to wife a princess, whose name 
vras Herodias ; flie -was daughter to Arifi:- 
obulus, one of the sons of Hercd ihe 
Great, by his queen Manamne. Her fa- 
ther was put to death by the old tyrant, 
when he was in so much perplexity end 
diflress, on accoant of the troubles and 
quarrels in his familv. This prircess wa<^ 
aftervrards married to Herod Philip, tr- 



28 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



trarch of Iturea, her father's brother ; flie 
had now eloped from her hufband, and 
lived Nviih Mcrod Antipas. This prince 
Was alfcctod ^\•ith tlic powerful plainness, 
and auih )ritaiive fimplicity of the preach- 
ing of the Bapiiit, and frequently attended 
on his nr.niilry. The prophet, as he spar- 
ed no vice, nor man who was guilty of it, 
however eilecmed or exalted, warmly ex- 
poflulated with him on the wickedness 
and lewdness of his life, and (harply re- 
proved him for his incelluous marriage. 
The haughty queen was so offended at the 
boldness of the prophet, that Ihe demand- 
ed his death. The king would have com- 
plied with her repuest, but was afraid of an 
insurrection amongst the people ; for 
ohn was highly esteemed and reverenced 
y all men ; Herod therefore endeavoured 
to gratify her revenge, by casting the 
Baptist into prison. Here the holy man 
remained several months, and his public 
ministry ceased. 

While he was thus in confinement, he 
heard of the miracles which Jesus daily 
wrought, and his public ministry and 
preaching. But our Redeemer not having 
taken such steps as the Jewifh nation ex- 
pected from the MefTiah (for the prevail- 
ing notion was, that this great person, 
whenever he appeared, would set up a 
temporal kingdom, and reign over all the 
earth) the Baptist seemed not to be tho- 
roughly satisfied with his proceeding. 
His chufing a company of illiterate fifher- 
men to be his disciples, and avoiding all 
popularity and applause, seemed not to 
promise the rifmg of his kingdom. The 
good man therefore sent two of his dis- 
ciples to the Son of God, to inquire into 
the meaning of these things, not directly, 
but rather seeming to hefitate whether he 
were the Mefliah or not : Art thou he that 
Jhould come, or look ice for another ? It 
happened when these disciples came to our 
Lord, he was employed in publiihing his 
gospel, healing the fick, calling out devils, 
and rcfloring fight to the blind. He did 
not therefore think fit to return a direct 
answer to the queftion of John, but re- 
ierred him to the works he performed, and 
the miracles he wrought : Go and tell John, 
iaid he, what things you have seen and 
heard; how that th". blind see, the lame 
'a'alk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, 



'the dead are raised, and the poor haue tk? 
gospel preached unto them. . . •v\\ 

John continued long in prison, and was 
mortally hated by the inceiluous queen : 
but it was not in the power of the enraged 
princess to procure his death. At length 
an opportunity ottered, and the prophet 
fell a victim to her vengeance. Herod the 
tetrarch of Galilee, with whom fliie lived in 
adultery and inceft, made a great feafl for 
the celebrating his birth-day, to which he 
invited liis courtiers, the chief officers of 
his army, and the nobles and great men of 
the country. At this entertainment a 
young damsel, named Salome, the daugh- 
ter of the queen Herodias, by her former 
hufband Philip, entertained the noble 
company, and dignified the royal feafl by 
her skill in dancing. This gave fo much 
satisfaction and pleasure to the company, 
especially to the king, that he promised 
with an oath, to give her whatever flie 
desired ; and assured her, that her requeft 
should not be denied, were it for half his 
kingdom. The young damsel was not 
willing to make so important a demand 
without the advice of her mother. The 
enraged princess, having now an opportu- 
nity to accomplifh her revenge on the 
prophet, to whom flie bore a mortal 
hatred, commanded her daughter to de- 
mand the head of John the Baptifi, This 
requeft the damsel soon presented at the 
throne. The king, as he little expected 
such a demand, was very much concerned : 
yet, as he had given his oath, and was not 
willing to seem little in the eyes of his 
guefts, he gave immediate orders that John 
fhould be beheaded in private, in the 
caftle where he was confined. The orders 
were immediately executed, and the bloody 
head of the prophet was brought into the 
banqueting room, and given to the damsel. 
She took the cruel present to her mother, 
who beheld, with much satisfaction, the 
full gratification of her great revenge. 
Thus fell this great and illuftrious person. 
His disciples hearing of his death, came to 
Herod, and begged the body of their 
mailer : they buried it in a decent sepul- 
chre, and knowing that John had always 
eftcemed Ji sus to be the Mcfiiah, they 
came and informed him of this mournfui 
event. 



AND LIVES or HIS APOSTLES. 



29 



CHAPTER VIII. 



Christ after his Baptism is driven by tlie Spirit into the Wilderness. vAere fie fajieth 
Forty Days ; during which Time he is tempted of the DeviL several Ways, but over- 
cometh him in all of them : Aftcricards Angels adminifier unto him. 



OUR blefled Saviour, having been bap- 
tized in the river Jordan, and having 
received the teftimony of God, in the moll 
manifefl and glorious manner, amidft vaft 
numbers of spectators, declarmg him to be 
the Son of the Moll High, now prepared to 
begin his public m.iniftr}', andenteruponthe 
great work for whichhecameinto the world. 

Jordan, in which our great Redeemer 
was baptized, was the moft conliderable 
river in the land of Canaan, and ran al- 
moft from the northern to the southern 
boundaries of the Holy Land. It ran a 
great way through the v»'ilderness of Judea, 
w^hich was not called a \vilderness because 
it was quite uninhabited, but because it 
■was more \v'ild, uncultiyated, and less in- 
habited than the reft of the country. The 
river Jordan,, like the Nile, overflowed 
its banks at one season of the year : it 
was much infefted ^vith lions, and other 
wild beafts, who, being driven out of 
.their dens by the riling of the waters, 
spread themselves over the country ; hence 
the allufion in the prophet^ he comes like a 
lion froTiithe sicellings of Jordan. 

The exalted Saviour of mankind, when 
he began his public miniflry, did not seek 
to aggrandize himself, or court the honour 
or applause of m.en. It might have been 
expected, that, preceeded by his forerun- 
ner the Baptift, and with ablaze of divine 
glory round his head he would have went 
to Jerusalem, the seat of power, and 
made known himself and his pretenlions 
to the great men of the kingdom. But the 
meek and lowly Jesus, fhunning eveiy 
thing that was g;rand and noble, retired to 
the desart. The evangelift Mark informs 
usj that he was driven of the Spirit into the 
wilderness : it is not to be supposed, that 
lie was driven by any irrefiirible power, 
but by the influence of that Holy Spirit 
which descended on him at his baptism, 
and always refi ded in him. The deflgn of 
this retirement, no doubt, w^s, that by 
No. 2. 



solitude, contemplation, and spiritual con- 
verse with his heavenly Father, he might 
prepare himself for the great work which 
lay before him ; and by baffling the temp- 
tations of the evil spirit, might triumph 
over the grand enemy of mankind in our 
ftead, and point out to us the duty of 
withftanding his temptations. It behoved 
him in all things to be like to his brethren, 
that he might be a viercifid and faithful 
highpriefi : for in that he hath suffered be^ 
ing tempted, he is able to succour them that 
are tempted. That part of the wilderness 
into which the holy Jesus retired, is sup- 
posed to be about four miles from the riv- 
er Jordan, and twenty from Jerusalem. 
It was in every respect^ a dismal and un- 
comfortable fituation, drf, barren, and 
wafte, surrounded by vaft craggy moun- 
tains frequented by wild beafts, solitar}'-, 
drearv, and forlorn. 

In this dreadful retreat, our great Re- 
deemer remained forty days (the same 
time which Moses was in the mount, when 
he received the la^v) amidft the bowlings 
of beafts of prey, andconftant temptations 
of wicked spirits, who, no doubt, uied all 
their arts to interrupt his meditations and 
difturb his peace. The desart was barren 
and drf, it produced nothing to eat ; nor 
was there any water to allay the thirft. 
The Son of God fafted forty days, being, 
supported by divine power : at the end of 
which time, he felt the calls of nature, and 
the painful sensations of hunger and thirft. 
What our Lord suffered from the tempta- 
tions and deluflve arts of the wicked 
spirits, during his forty days abode in the 
desart, is not particularly recorded ; but it 
seems at the end of that time, he was at- 
tacked by the prince of apoftate angels 
himself. It is not to be supposed but a 
spirit, so subtile and vigilant, muft be ful-, 
ly acquainted with the late manifeftation of 
divine glory, which had, at Christ's 
baptism, declared him the Son of God ^ 
H 



LIFE OF JE3US CHRIST 



nor could he be ii^norant of ilic circunillan- 
CCS altcPidinfj his biit!i. and the various 
tclHmonies oi liis divinity during the course 
of" his life. But the e;roat adversary of 
mankind, though he nuiil certainly be 
convinced that he "was an extraordinary 
person, seems not to be fully satisHed, that 
he was the Son of (Jod : and to prove this 
important point, took this oj)portunity 
when he \s-as aliiieted with hunger and 
tlurll, to ply him with his temptations. 
The wily tempter aj)proached the holy 
Jesus, very likely in liuman fhape, and, 
knowing the extremity of his hunger, cx- 
l)ofUilated with him, why he would endure 
such hardfhips, when it was in his power 
so eahly to find relief. If tkou be ike Son 
of God, said he, command that these Jlones be 
viadc bread. This temptation, seeming so 
kind and harmless, was the more danoe- 
rous : the crafty hend defigning to allure 
our great Redeemer to some superfluous 
acts of his divine power, to supply his pre- 
sent neceflity, which might have been 
contrary to an entire refignation and obe- 
dience to the will of his heavenly Father : 
but our Lord repelled this infinuating 
temptation, by quoting the words of 
Moses, -which iniplied, that God, when 
he pleases, can by extraordinary means 
supply the wants of his creatures, and pro- 
vide food for the support of the human 
race, Man fliall not live by bread alone, but 
every word of God.. 

The crafty fiend repulsed in this firfl 
open attempt on the bleffed Jf.sus, pro- 
ceeded to a second trial to ensnare our 
exalted Saviour ; in order to which, it is 
aflertcd by the evangelift, that he took him 
to the holy city, and set him upon the pin- 
nacle of the temple. Our great Redeemer 
mufl: be hurried through air to the diflance 
of t'.venty miles : it is supposed he was set 
upon some spire on the south fide of the 
temple : probably on that part which was 
called Herod's tower, which was built 
upon the edge of the rock, under which 
v.'as a valley of prodigirms depth. Jose- 
})hus writes, that he that was on the top 
of this tower, and looked down to the val- 
ley beneath, his head would immediately 
swim, and grow dizzy ! nay, it was far- 
ther than his very eyes could reach the 
bottom. At this giddy height, the crafty 
tempter set the blelTed Jesus, and thus 



add relied him : If thou be the Son of God, 
cafl thyscf down : for it is zvrittcn, He Jhall 
give his angels charge concerning thee, and 
in their hands jhall they bear thee up, Icfi at 
any time thou da/li thy foot againjl a flone. 
Thus, by a partial and mutilated quotation 
from the Psalms, the great adversary of 
mankind attempted to draw afide and 
overcome their only Saviour ; the words, 
to keep thee in all ihy -ways, were not to the 
artful tempter's purpose, and tliercfore 
were craftily omitted. The tendency of 
this temptation seems to be tlie exciting 
our Lord to presume too much upon the 
divine prote6iion, in his present ilate of 
humility and submifhon ; and as he de- 
pended on the word of God, when lie was 
in danger of being famiflicd in the wilder- 
ness, the tempter quoted the same word to 
aflure him, that God would send his angels 
to preserve him, though he ihould leap 
from that Ilupendous height. And, per- 
haps, the malicious fiend might secretly 
hope, that, if the Lord could be prevailed 
upon to make the experiment, he would 
be dafhcd to pieces with the fall, and all 
the apprehenfions of the infernal powers, 
on his account, would then have been at 
an end. But the bleffed Jesus was not 
thus to be overcome : he flood fixed on 
the immoveable bafis of his humility and 
meekness, and replied to the infinuating 
tempter, in the words of Moses, It is writ- 
ten again, said he, thou fialt not tempt the 
Lord thy God. By which we are to learn, 
that it is not lawful to try the goodness of 
God, or the reality of his paternal care 
in our preservation, by putting ourselves 
into unnecefTary danger, or making wild 
and extravagant experiments of his pro- 
teftion. 

The grand adversary of mankind, 
though twice repulsed with fiiame, yet 
scorned to give up the contefl ; but ral- 
lying all his powers of deception, flood 
prepared to make one more bold effort. 
The evangel iff inf orms us, that from the 
pinnacle of the temple, the devil took our 
Lord to the top of an exceeding high moun- 
tain, and ficwcdhim all the kingdoms of the 
world, and the glory of them. The crafty 
deceiver here thought to work upon our 
Saviour's ambition ; and, doubtless, by 
the powers of bold inchantment, he filled 
the wide-flretched landscape with vafl 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



31 



palaces, cities, temples, towers, fleets, and 
armies, chariots, warriors, foaming fteeds, 
and all the mighty powers of sovereign 
greatness ; which pointing in order to our 
Redeemer's view, all th-ese things, said he, 
zuill I give thee, if thou wilt fall dozen and 
worfhip me. To this boldness and blasphe- 
my, the holy Jesus gave a fharper rebuke 
than he had done to the other temptations, 
and plainly manifefting his divinity, while 
he alTumed a commanding authority, 
worthy the Son of God, Get the hence 
Satan, he cried, for it is written, thou /halt 
worfhip the Lord thy God, and him only 
fhalt thou serve. 

The frighted fiend now could ftand no 
longer ; he had received such a defeat, as 
convinced him that all funher attempts 



were vain : his eyes were dazzled with the 
divine glory which fhone around the Son 
of God ; and it may be supposed that he 
I fled murmuring to his subject fiends, 
! complaining of his sad defeat, and giv- 
I ing them inftructions, to use all their in- 
' fernal arts, to influence the minds of men, 
j fill them with rage againft their only Sa- 
I viour, and prevent their believing in him, 
' and receiving his glorious gospel. 

The grand deceiver, thus defeated and 
; fled, a squadron of bright cherubs de- 
; scended from the heavenly world, congra- 
tulating; the exalted Saviour of mankind 
on his viftory, and adminiftering to his 
neceflities, such supplies from the ccelefl:i- 
al regions, as enabled him to pursue the 
great work which he ^vas now to enter upon. 



CHAPTER IX. 



Christ begins his Public Ministry. ■ His first Miracle at Cana. He goes to Jerusalevi 
at the Passover ; performs several Miracles; clears the Temple of the traders; and 
holds a Conference -with Nicodemus, 



IT was during the retreat of our great 
Redeemer into the desart, and his 
abode there, that the Je^vifli Sanhedrim sent 
the deputation of priefts and Levites to 
John the Baptifl:, as before related ; and 
he having openly and honeftly informed 
them, that he w^as not the Mefliah, they 
returned to Jerusalem. 

The next day after their departure, the 
Son of God, having defeated the cunning 
and disappointed the wiles of the great 
enemy of mankind, returned from the 
wilderness, after an abode there for forty 
days, and came to Bethabara, w^here John 
was baptifing. The holy Baptifl:, knowing 
that the great defign of his coming into 
the world was to prepare the way for, 
and lead the people to, the Mefliah ; no 
sooner saw the exalted Saviour of man- 
kind, than he pointed him out to the peo- 
ple as the objeccl of their highefl: regard 
and reverence : Behold, he cried, the Lamb 
of God, which taketh away the fin of the 
world! And that it might not be suppo- 
sed, that he declared him to be such a 
dignified person, without sufficient grounds, 
he proceeded to inform the attentive mul- 
titude, that he had received a full aflfurance 



of this truth at the time when he baptised 
him, by the appearance of the Holy Spi- 
rit, in the fliape of a dove, vifibly refling 
on his head, John bare record, saying, I 
sazu the Spirit descending like a dove, and 
it abode upon him, and I kneio him not; 
but he that sent me to baptise vjith water, 
the same said unto me, upon whom thou 
fhalt see the Spirit descending and remain- 
ing on him, the same is he that baptiseth 
with the Holy Ghofi ; and I saw and bare 
record, that this is the Son of God. After 
this public declaration of his great fore- 
runner, Jesus departed: but returning 
the next day to the banks of Jordan, the 
Baptifl being there with two of his disci- 
ples, he no sooner beheld the holy Jesus, 
than he repeated and confirmed his former 
declaration, which was made to the multi- 
tude. Behold the Lamb of God. It is prob- 
able these disciples were absent when Je- 
sus was baptised; and the Spirit decend- 
ed on him, while a voice from heaven 
declared him the Son of God. This plain 
and pcfitive declaration of their mafter, 
excited their curiosity, and filled them with 
a ftrong defire to be further inform.ed. To 
this end, they followed Jesus, no dcubt 



32 



LIFE OF JESUS CM RIST 



defiling to be acquainted with this extra- 
ordinary person. Our great Redeemer, 
knowinir their intentions, turned towards 
them, and, with that condescending kind 
ness and comphicency so natural to him, 
took them with him tofiis house. We are 
informed, by the evangehll John, that 
one of these (hsciples was Andrew, the 
bn)ther of Simon Peter; the name of the 
other is not mentioned, some suppose it 
was the evangehfl: himself. They, by this 
inv itation, gained an opportunity of con- 
verline with the Saviour of mankind, and 
that conversation, joined with the declara- 
tion of their mailer the Baptill, fully con- 
vinced ihcm of the truth of liis milhon, and 
they cfleemed and reverenced him as the 
oreat Meffiah, the long-expe6ted Redeem- 
er of Israel. 

Soon after this, Andrew found his 
brother Peter, and with the utmoft joy and 
elevation of heart, brought him to Jesus. 
The Lord immediately called him by his 
name, and informed him, that he Ihould 
hereafter be called Cephas, which is, by 
interpretation, a ftone, or rock. The day 
following, Philip, an inhabitant of the 
town of Bethsaida, was so happy as to 
come in company with the great Redeem- 
er ; Jesus commanded him to follow him, 
which that disciple immediately obeyed : 
perhaps he might not be unacquainted 
with the character of the Son of God : 
or if he was, the call of the Great Sa- 
viour of finners was accompanied with 
such manifedations of divine power, that 
he gladly obeyed. 

Soon after this, Philip came in compa- 
ny with Nathaniel, an inhabitant of the 
town of Cana in Galilee : Nathaniel is 
thought by some to be the same person 
-who .was afterwards called Bartholomew. 
Philip told him, that they had found the 
ivLlhah, that great person foretold by 
IVIoscs and the prophets ; and that his 
name was Jesus of Nazareth the Son of 
Joseph. Nathaniel well knew that, ac- 
cording to the anticnt prophecies, the 
IVIcIIiah was to be born at Bethlehem : 
and that he was to belong to tlie family 
of David ; and as Nazareth was a very 
low and vulgar place, he could not be- 
lieve ihat so exalted a person Ihould dwell 
in such a contemptible city, and exprcff- 
cd his surprise, by inquiring, can any o^ood 



thing come out of Nazareth ? In answer to 
this, Philip referred him to the person he 
Jiad mentioned, and defired him to go with 
him, and see whether what he had report- 
ed, was not evident from the plain marks 
of superior greatness and divinity which 
appeared in this extraordinary man. Na- 
thaniel, however mean and despicable his 
opinion of Nazareth might be, would not 
give way to his prejudice so mucli, as to 
be prevented f rom embracing so happy an 
opportunity, and therefore accompanied 
by Philip, went to visit the Saviour of 
Israel. His ingenuous and candid dispoh- 
tion, would not permit him to rejcft the 
pretenhons of Jesus without examination 
and trial ; and, being introduced by big 
friend, and presented to the Lord, the 
flranger immediately heard his heavenly 
lips pronounce this honourable chara6i;er, 
applied by our great Redeemer to Nathan- 
iel ; BehoLd an Israelite indeed, in whom is 
no guile. The good man was very much 
surprised to hear a person he had never 
seen before, address him in this manner, 
and for his satisfa6iion in this m)'iterious 
point, inquired of our Redeemer, how he 
came to know him so well, as to be able 
to give such a description of his charafter ? 
Jesus, with a condescending smile repli- 
ed, that, before Philip called him, he saw 
him under the fig-tree. It is reasonable to 
suppose, that Nathaniel had been under 
the fig-tree at his private devotions ; and, 
doubtless, had expreffed such sentiments, 
in the eff ufions of his pious heart, as en- 
titled him to the noble charafter which 
our Redeemer had given him ; and it is 
plain that he perceived, from Christ's 
answer to his inquiry, that he knew what 
was done where he was not present, and 
was fully acquainted with the thoughts of 
the heart ; therefore, with the fulleft con- 
vitlion of mind, and the utmoft surprise 
and joy, he cried out. Rabbi, thou art the 
Son of God, thou art the King of Israel, 
Our Redeemer, approving his faith, pro- 
ceeding to inform him, that he fhould 
herealter see fuller and clearer proofs of 
his divinity ; Because I said, I sa.w thee 
under the fig-tree, believeft thou ? Thou 
flialt sec greater things than these. I say 
unto you, hereafter ye fiall see heaven open, 
and the angels of God ascending and des- 
cending upon iJic Son af man, ' , 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



35 



Our Lord having thus given manifeft 
proofs of his divinity, and called five dis- 
ciples, was the third day after, with his 
mother and them, invited to a marriage- 
feaft at Cana, a small town, not far dift- 
ant from Nazareth. His mother, it may 
reasonably be supposed, was either a re- 
lation or intimate friend of the married 
pair ; and it happened, at the supper, 
that they were scarce of wine ; fhe had 
often, no doubt, been witness of the su- 
pernatural power that attended her son, 
and as fhe would willingly have every 
thing so conduced, that there might be 
no reproach fall on her new-married 
friends, fhe applied to him, perhaps, ex- 
pecting that he would work a miracle for 
their supply* Jesus, upon receiving the 
information from his mother, replied, with 
a kind of gentle rebuke, Womaii, what have 
I to do with thee F mine hour is not yet come : 
intimating by this, that the time for his 
working miracles in Galilee was not yet 
approached, but his bufiness lay in other 
parts of the kingdom. His mother does 
not seem by this reply, to have given up 
her hopes of his doing something for her 
friends in this necefiity ; and, therefore, 
fhe ordered the servants punftually to per- 
form whatever he commanded : nor was 
fhe miftaken in her suppolition : for our 
Lord kindly condescended, by his mirac- 
ulous power, to relieve his friends, and to 
convince his new disciples of the divinity 
of their mailer. He ordered the servants 
to fill fix water-pots, each containing about 
twenty gallons, with water ; the servants 
obeyed, and filled them up to the brim. 
The whole, in a moment, was changed 
into the moft excellent wine ; Bear, said 
our exalted Redeemer, to the governor of 
the feajt : the governor, ignorant of the 
miracle, and highly pleased with the deli- 
cious flavour and richness of the wine, 
which was much superior to what they 
had drank before, applied to the bride- 
groom, and, in the hearing of the com- 
pany, informed him, that he had a6led 
contrary to the common cufl:om of feafls. 
Every man at the beginning, said he, doth 
set forth good wine ; and, when men have 
well drank, then that which is worse, but 
thou haji kept the good wine until nofw. 
The bridegroom, doubtless, was much sur- 
prised at this account, and upon inquiry. 
No. 2. 



found that this excellent wine was pro* 
duced by Jesus, in a miraculous manner. 
This miracle was the firfl which our bles- 
sed Saviour performed ; by it he honour- 
ed the inflitution of marriage, convinced 
his disciples that he, in reality, was the 
Son of God, and the Saviour of Israel, and 
spread his fame over all the country 
around. 

It muft be acknowledged, that the ene- 
mies of our religion, who diligently watch 
for every opportunity to cafl contempt on 
the great Author of it, have presumed to 
censure and ridicule this firft miracle of 
our Lord. They represent the affair, as 
though the evangelift had reported our 
Saviour to have miraculoufly produced 
this wine, after the company had plenti- 
fully drank, and hence would infmuate, 
that he was a friend to drunkenness. They 
might, however, have spared their mirth, 
if they had confidered that the words of 
the governor of the feaft, before quoted, 
do not imply that any of the company 
were intoxicated, but only that it was the 
cuftom at such feafts to bring the befl wine 
firft. Befides, our self-conceited and impu- 
dent cavillers, might have given them- 
selves time to confider, that, though the 
Jewifh marriage-feafts lafted seven days, 
our Lord did not order all this wine, which 
he miraculoufly produced, to be drank at 
that solemnity : nor is there one circum^ 
ftance in the account of this feaft, which 
gives the leaft intimation that any of the 
company were intoxicated ; and it muft be 
supposed that, when they had discovered 
the miracle, they would have so much re- 
verence for the divinity of the person of 
our Lord, as would prevent them from 
making such bad use of his wine, especial- 
ly in his presence. Nor can it be inferred 
from the quantity of wine which our Lord 
thus miraculoufly produced, that he would 
connive at intemperance, and furnifli the 
means of excess : it rather ought to be 
concluded that, by this miracle, he intend- 
ed to make a seasonable and valuable 
present to his friends, which might serve 
for their use, when the solemnity of the 
feaft was over. And, it may further be 
observed, that by converting so large a 
quantity of water into wine, our Lord 
prevented all objections that might have 
been raised againft the miracle being true ; 



31 



LIFE OF JESUS CFIRIST 



for ii small quantity of wine nii;^lit have 
been ealily pioeured to carry on the de- 
eeption, when so large a quantity could 
not : so that, if it be admitted that these 
water-pots were ever so large, there can 
be no objection raised againll the defign 
of the miracle : nor can it be charoed with 
givmg mdnlgence to intemperance, any 
more than the plenty which the all-bounti- 
fid Creator (bowers upon the vineyard and 
the field : so that, notwithQanding the ob- 
jetlions and cavils which may arise from 
iaise wisdom, this lirlt miracle of our 
Lord appears to be, in every respeft, 
worthy of God, and beneficial to man. 

The pafiover, an annual fead of the 
Jews, kept in commemoration of their 
preservation, when the Egyptian firft-born 
were flain by a ilroke f rom heaven, being 
at hand, and our Lord defigning to be 
present at the feall, he departed from 
Cana, and taking Capernaum in his way, 
he went to Jerusalem, He no sooner ar- 
rived at the chief city of the Jews, but he 
went to the temple, and probably it being 
the eve of the ieafl;, he found the sacred 
apartments, full of traders, money-chan- 
gers, and merchants, who sold such things 
as would be wanted at the ensuing feftival. 
The holy Jesus was filled with indignation, 
to see the holy place thus prophaned : and 
immediately applied himself to correft the 
abuse : accordingly, he made a small whip, 
or scourge, and affuming the air and fer- 
vency of the antient prophets, he drove 
this mercenary train out of the temple ; 
awed by his majeflic all-commanding ap- 
pearance, they ran before him in a tumult : 
the oxen and fheep affrighted, fled, and 
the (jwners after them, overthrowing the 
tables of the money-changers, and pour- 
ing out their money upon the ground, none 
(hiring to make refiftance : the sellers of 
doves he also urged to depart, command- 
ing them all for the future, to take care 
how th(y made the temple of God an 
house of merchandise. 'J he Jews per- 
perceiving a promiscuous throng of people 
nnd cattle driving out of the temple in the 
utmofl aflonifhmcnt and terror, and af- 
terwards fiiiding that Jesl's had put them 
all into this hurry and confufion, by com- 
manding them to depart from the temple, 
and had drove them before him ; they 
probably summoned a council, and de- 



manded of him in form, by what authority 
he did this ; at the same time, requirino- 
him to give them a fign, which IhoulS 
prove that he did it by a divine commiffion. 
Oiu- Lord, on this occafion, only referred 
them to the miracle of his own resurreftion, 
Dejlroy, said he, this body, and I luillraise 
it ub in three days. The rulers of the Jews, 
miftaking his meaning, concluded his 
words had reference to the noble and mag- 
nificent temple built by Herod, and were 
very much surprised at the aflertion ; For- 
ty and fix years, said they, was this temple 
in building, and wilt thou rear it up in 
three days ? But though this answer of our 
Lord confounded the great men amongft 
the Jews; the disciples of Jesus remem- 
bered a pafTage in the Psalms, which was 
clearly applicable to this part of our Re- 
deemer's conduft, The zeal of thine house 
has eaten vie up. And, as this prediction 
of our Lord was delivered in the flyle of 
the ancient prophets, whose prophecies 
were sometimes not underftood till they 
were fulfilled ; this saying of their mailer 
came frefh into their minds, after his re- 
surreftion, and confirmed them in their 
belief of the truth. 

Though the bleffed Jesus refused to 
work any miracles in the presence of the 
rulers of the Jews, and drove not to make 
himself known to the great and mighty in 
Jerusalem ; yet, at this time, he wrought 
several wonderful works amongfl the 
common people, and, by exerting the 
mighty power invefted in him, confirmed 
the truth of the doftrines he taught, and 
proved that he was a teacher sent from 
God, and that great person so long ex- 
pe6fed to be the Redeemer of Israel. 

Our Lord continued performing several 
wonders amongfl the common people, 
during the time of the paffover, and many 
of them believed on him ; for they were 
fully convinced of his divine miffion, by 
the miracles which they saw him perform. 
But Jesus knowing the secrets of men's 
hearts, and not wanting any information 
concerning them, he was able to form a 
jufl; conception of the nature of this belief; 
and knew how unlikely it was to Hand the 
day of trial, on account of the weakness 
and fickleness of mankind. In conse- 
quence of this knowledge, he did not think 
it proper to run the hazard of the incon- 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



35 



ftancy of the multitude, ortruft himfelf too 
much in their hands : for this reafon, he 
avoided conversing too freely with them, 
or making more full and clear discoveries 
of his divinity, and the end of his coming 
into the world : for he knew how likely it 
was, that great numbers fliould desert his 
caufe, when he came to be publicly oppo- 
sed by the great Sanhedrim, by the Scribes 
and Pharisees, the chief priefts and elders, 
and all the great men of the nation. 

But the wonder and aftonifliment exci- 
ted by the miracles which Jesus had per- 
formed, were not confined to the common 
people : the wide spread report had reach- 
ed the ears of Nicodemus, a man of great 
eminence amongft the Jews ; he was one 
of the chief of the Pharisees, member of 
the great Sanhedrim, and in great honour 
and efteem at Jerufalem. He had heard 
the account of the miracles which Jseus 
had wrought, and he believed it, and be- 
ing a person of an ingenuous, inquifitive 
mind, he wanted to be further informed. 

It is to be supposed, that he was not ig- 
norant of the general expeftation of the 
Jewifh kingdom, respefting the appearance 
of the Messiah : and he ardently wifhed to 
see the accomplifhment of the ancient pro- 
phecies, in the appearance of that great 
person. And, as the general opinion was, 
that the Messiah, when he came, would set 
up a temporal kingdom, and exalt the 
Jewelh nation over all the kingdoms on the 
earth, it is to be supposed, that the great 
men among the Jews, as well as the com- 
mon people, ftrongly desired the approach 
of this happy event. 

Nicodemus was convinced by the mira- 
cles which Jesus performed, so wonderful 
in their nature, so salutary in their effefts, 
so worthy the charafter of the Son of God, 
so kind and advantageous to man. so hap- 
pily adapted to the confirmation of the 
do6lrines he taught, so perfeftly agreeable 
to the attributes of God, and conformable 
to the prediftions of the antient prophets 
concerning the MelTiah, that these mighty 
works muft proceed from a divine original, 
and that no power less than Omnipotence 
could produce them. But very likely some 
confiderable scruples might arise in the 
mind of this ruler in Israel, when he con- 
fidered the obscurity of the birth, and the 
meanness of die appearance of the person 



who performed these wonderful works. 
This, in every respeft, being so contrary 
to that magnificence and grandeur xn which 
the Jewifh nation expefted the Meffiah to 
appear, might cause great scruples to 
arise in the mind of Nicodemus, and fill 
his soul with perplexity and doubt : but he 
being a person of judgment and discern- 
ment, as well as probity and honour would, 
not suffer his prejudices to prevent him 
from fairly and impartially enquiring after 
truth, in an affair of such importance, and 
therefore he determined to have an inter- 
view with Jesus himself. He did not 
think it advisable to wait on our Lord in 
public ; for he thought he might be re- 
proached by the rulers and great men 
amongft the Jews, and therefore conclu- 
ded to make this vifit in private ; and that 
it might be the more so, he chose to make 
it in the night. 

He accofted our Redeemer with a con- 
feffion of his conviftion of the truth and 
reality of the miracles he had performed ; 
and that they could not be produced by 
inchantment, or any infernal affiftance ; 
but the nature of them proved them to be 
produced by the mighty power of God, 
and confirmed the doftrines Jesus taught to 
be divine : Rabbi, said he, we know that 
thou art a teacher come from God ; for no 
man can do those miracles that thou doji, 
except God be with him. It does not by 
this salutation appear, that Nicodemus 
was convinced that Jesus was the Meffiah ; 
that was the point which he wanted to be 
more fully demonftrated, and hoped, by 
this interview, to receive some satisfaftion 
concerning it. Our Lord did not think 
proper to satisfy the scruples of this ruler 
of Israel concerning this, but took the op- 
portunity to inftruft him in a matter of 
greater importance, and lead him into an 
acquaintance with the nature of his reli- 
gion : in order to this, he began with in- 
troducing the firil great doftrine of the 
gospel, respefting its operations on the 
mind of man ; Verily, verily, I say unto 
thee, except a man be born again, he cannot 
see the kingdom of God. Our Saviour, by 
these remarkable words, may be supposed 
to inform the ruler of Israel, that though 
the luftre of his miracles had forced him 
to acknowledge, that he had received his 
comraiffion from on high, yet he could 



36 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



not discern, thai he realh' was the Mefhali, 
not untlerlland the spiritual nature oi his 
kingdom!, witliout the Oj)eration of a super- 
natural power, which mull j)roduce such a 
change in his soul, as might fitly hc" de- 
scribed bv being born again. Nicodemus, 
beinor an utter {Iraniier to this doctrine, 
antl thinking our Lord's words had no 
fitjuiati\e aliufion, but had reference to a 
natural birth, was very much surprised at 
the aflertion : for he could not imagine 
that the seed of Abraham flood in need 
o( anv sec(^nd birth, to render them the 
children ol God, and the heirs of" his 
kingdom ; and therefore haflily and ear- 
nefily inquired, Hozu can a man be born 
zchcn hc is old ; can hc enter a second time 
into his mothers wovib, and be born? Our 
Lord then proceeded to inform him, that 
his words had not a natural, but a spiritual 
meaning. Except a, man be born of water 
and the Spirit, said he, he cannot see the 
kingdom of God. Nicodemus might learn, 
from these words, that his apprehenfions 
were gross and wide from the purpose ; 
for if it were pofTible for a man to be born 
a second time of his earthly parent, he 
would not thereby become so holy and 
pure, as would render him fit for the king- 
dom of God : but the birth our Redeemer 
had reference to, was of a spiritual nature, 
which, by producing that faith which had 
a lively and powerful influence on the 
heart and life, might prepare the pofTeffors 
of it for the divine acceptance : lhat which 
is born of the fcfh is fcfh ; and that which 
is born of the Spirit is Spirit. Whatever 
is born of woman, partakes of the imper- 
fections and finfulncss of human nature ; 
but that which is born of the Spirit, is pure 
and l;oly, and prevails over those things 
which render mankind unfit to be partakers 
of the kingdom of God, by implanting a 
new and powerful principle of action, and 
working an entire renovation in the soul, 
which may very fitly be compared to a 
new birth. Nicodemus, ftill continuing 
full of hcfitation and surprise, our Lord 
proceeded to inform him, that the thing 
v.'ould not appear so myflerious, when 
rightly underflood, as his prejudices in- 
duced him to think it was, but might, as 
to the probability of ir, hc illuflrated bv a 
fantiliar fimile; Marvd not, says he, that 
I said unto thee, ye mujl be born again. 



The wind blowcih xoJicre it lifeth, and thou 
hear eft the sound thereof but canf not tell 
-whence it cometh, or ic hither it goeth ; so is 
every one that is born of the Spirit. The 
meaninij of these words seems to be. that, 
though the entire renovation of heart, 
which Chrifl's religion required, might 
seem impolfible to the blind eyes of carnal 
men, it might nevertheless be true : for in 
the natural world, there are many things 
of so fine a texture, that we cannot discern 
them with our eyes, but it is very manifeft 
that tlrcy exift, and ihey are very great 
and powerful in their effe6ls. The wind 
is a thing altogether invifible, no man can 
behold it's body, or trace it's motion, even 
when it blows with the greateft violence ; 
yet that there is such a thing is sufiiciently 
evident, and the effe6ls of it are universally 
known : thus, therefore, that resenera- 
tion, or renovation which is wrought in 
the heart of man, by the powerful agency 
of the Spirit of God, though, in itself, it 
be invifible and not at all discernible by 
fight or sense ; yet, in it's effefts, it is a 
great and plain thing, and really as great 
and manifefl; a change in the nature and 
dispofition, the defires and pursuits of the 
soul, and conducing as much to all the 
purposes of divine and eternal life, as 
the birth of man does to this mortal life. 

Though these arguments were plain, 
and not to be evaded or denied, yet 
Nicodemus retained his prejudices ; this 
syftem of spiritual religion was contrary 
to his apprehenfions, nor could he see 
how the children of Abraham could ftand 
in need of a renovation and change, equal 
to that w^hieh the infant finds when born, 
to fit them for the kingdom of God ; and 
therefore, the ruler of Israel inquired. 
How can these things be P To which our 
great Redeemer replied, that it was ftrange 
he fhould he so hard to be inilrufled, Art 
thou a mojler in Israel, and knowef not 
these things? Art thou a teacher of others, 
and yet unable to discern things which 
I have so plainly revealed ? Our Lord 
then proceeded to inform him that he 
was certain of the truth of \vhat he had 
advanced concerning the new birth, and 
therefore it ought to be received ; but if 
these plain and easy truths, relating to the 
spiritual nature of the Mcfiiah's kingdom, 
\ were so fiowly received by men of the 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



37 



firft eminence and underflanding in the 
nation, how would they be able to com- 
prehend the more sublime and noble doc- 
trines of the gospel, which he was come 
to preach to the sons of men. Our Re- 
deemer further proceeded to inform Nico- 
demus, that it was the indespenfible duty 
of mankind to attend to his miniftry, be- 
cause he came with superior credentials, 
and higher authority than ever man had 
before him. Moses had never ascended 
into heaven, but received his law from the 
top of mount Sinai : none of the ancient 
prophets had descended from the blelfed 
abodes, to teach mankind ; whereas the 
Son of God came down from heaven fully 
commilTioned from above : he had been 
favoured with the cleareft and moft ex- 
tenfive view of spiritual things, and was 
fully acquainted with the deepeft receffes 
of the divine councils ; nay, at this very 
timCj is present with God in heaven, and 
at one comprehenfive view, beholdeth the 
extent of the universe ; he is conscious 
to all the gracious intentions of the King 
of heaven towards the human race, and, 
of consequence, muft be superior in autho- 
rity and dignity to Moses, or any other 
person who hath appeared in the world. 

Our great Redeemer, before the con- 
ference concluded, took occafion to set 
the inquiring ruler to rights, respefting 
the kingdom of the Meffiah, concerning 
which he so much wanted to be informed. 
He gave him to underftand, that the na- 
tion in general, were greatly miftaken in 
their views of that exalted person setting 
up a temporal kingdom, and alfuming the 
authority • and command of an illuftrious 
and powerful conqueror ; on the contrary, 
this divine teacher explained to Nicode- 
mus, that it was conformable to the lan- 
guage of ancient prophecy, as well as the 
councils of heaven, that the MefTiah, when 
he appeared in the world, fhould be poor 
and despised; that he fhould aflume no 
No. 2. - 



titles of honour, but be exposed to a va- 
riety of misery, poverty, and wretched- 
ness; and, of consequence, his kingdom 
muft not be a temporal, but spiritual 
kingdom ; and the deliverance, which he 
came to procure for his people, was not 
from temporal evils, but eternal wrath. 
This deliverence, he proceeded to inform 
the noble Pharisee, muft be procured by 
his sufferings and death, by which, whoso- 
ever believed on him, would be reinftated 
in the divine favour, and made eternally 
happy : but whosoever refused to receive 
him as their Saviour, and perfifted in their 
obftinacy and unbeUef, would certainly 
perifli for ever, and juftly fall into so se- 
vere a condemnation, because their unbelief 
would not arise from want of evidence of 
the truth of his miffion, but from their 
own inveterate prejudices, and the habi- 
tual wickedness of their hearts and lives. 
He that believeth on him is not condemned, 
said he, but he that believeth not, is con- 
demned already, because he believeth not in 
the name of the only begotten Son of God. 
And this is the condemnation, that light is 
come into the world, and men loved darkness 
raiher than light, because their deeds were 
evil. 

This excellent and pathetic discourse 
of our Lord, had an effeft on Nicodemus, 
proportionable to the importance of it : 
he not only believed that Jesus was a 
teacher sent from God, but was convinced 
that he was that great person who was to 
be the Redeemer of Israel. He conftantly 
defended him in the council ; and when 
Jesus was put to death, by the impious 
rage, and unexampled cruelty of the Jews, 
he, in conjunction with Joseph of Arima- 
thea, begged the body of our Lord of the 
Roman governor, and beftowed on him 
the honour of a decent funeral, when 
all the reft of his disciples had forsaken 
him. 

K 



38 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



CHAPTER X. 



Christ converses xcith the Woman of Samaria, and revealeth himself unto her : Ite 
heals the Nobleman s Son at Cana, zvhtle he lay sick at Capernaim. He repairs to 
CaperriAum, and having called viore Disciples, he preaches in Galilee, and delivers his 
Sermvn on the Mount. 



THE Fead of llie pafTover being ended, 
Jiisus departed from Jerusalem, and 
went to some of the obscilrer parts of Ju- 
dea ; probably he might retire to the bank 
of the river Jordan, where he had been 
baptised, and had received the honour of 
divine approbation, and the tcllimony of 
a voice from heaven, that he was the 
Son of God. The holy Jesus, remained 
here a confiderable time, and his disciples 
baptised great numbers of people, wnile 
his fame was spread through several parts 
of the country. 

John the Baptift was not yet cafl into 
prison, but continued preacliing and bap- 
tifing, probably at Bethabara, the place 
of his former refidence. Some of the 
Jews hence took occafion to dispute with 
the disciples of John, about the propriety 
of this, and wanted to be informed, whe- 
ther the baptism of Jesus was not supe- 
rior to that of their matter. Not being 
willing themselves to decide this contro- 
versy, or answer so important a queflion, 
they applied to the Baptifl himself. The 
prophet took occafion to remind them, 
how often he had declared, that the 
person they mentioned, was the Mefliah, 
whom God had sent into the world, to 
nccomplifh the dcfigns of his grace, in 
the salvation of (inncrs ; and that himself 
was no more than a mcITenger to prepare 
the way before this illultrious person. He 
likewise proceeded to inform them, that 
his own miniflry now was on the decline, 
and would soon be at an end ; Hemiipi in- 
crease, said he, but J mufl decrease. The 
holy man continued his tcflimony con- 
cerning Chris t, by giving liis inquiring 
disciples to undcrfland that he was above 
oil ; and as much superior to him, as the 
heavens were above the earth : and thoucrh, 
comparatively speaking no man received 
his tcllimony, though he was low and 



despicable in the eyes of mankind, yet he 
was in the highcll eltimation in the heav- 
enly world ; that he was the well-beloved 
of his Father, and the heir of all things, 
both in heaven and earth ; that the fulness 
of the divine Spirit dwelt in him, and it 
was of the utmoft importance to mankind 
to hear, believe in, and obey him. And 
then the holy man concluded his miniflry 
with these remarkable words. He that bc- 
lieveth on the Son hath everlafting life ; but 
he that believeih not the Son, /hall not see 
life, but the wrath of God abideth on him. 

Soon after this, the holy Baptift de- 
parted from the banks of Jordan, and 
leaving the wilderness of Judea, repaired 
to Galilee, and often vifited the court of 
Herod, who seemed to attend to his pre- 
cepts, and take delight in his company 
and conversation : but, as the Baptift was 
too ftriftly virtuous to flatter that prince, 
he took occafion severely to reprimand 
him, on account of his cohabitmg with 
the princess Herodias. This roused the 
rage of that haughty woman, who, on 
that account, procured his imprisonment 
and death, in the manner before related. 

In the mean time, the blelfed Jesus 
continued in the wilderness of Judea ; 
great multitudes resorted to him, attended 
on his divine inftru6lions, beheld the mi- 
racles he wrought, and were baptised by 
his disciples. His popularity daily in- 
creafing, it excited the envy of the Phari- 
sees, on which account, our Lord thought 
proper to retire into Galilee, and there 
continue that great work which he had 
so successfully begun. 

In this journey, he palled through Sa- 
maria, and being fatigued with travelling, 
and overpowered with the heat of the 
day, he sat down to reft by the fide of a 
noted well, near the city of Sychar (which 
was reported to be given by the patriarch 



AND LIVES OF 

Jacob, to his son Joseph) while his dis- 
ciples repaired to the city to purchase pro- 
vifions. 

Before their return, a woman came from 
the city to draw water at the well, and 
Jesus being thirfty, afked her to give him 
to drink. The woman, knowing him to 
be a Jew, was very much surprised at this 
requeft ; for the hatred between the Jews 
and Samaritans, which had commenced 
four hundred years before this time, flill 
continued, and was, on all occafions, 
carried on by each party : How is it, said 
fhe, that thou, being a Jew, ajkejl drink 
of me, who am a woman of Samaria P For 
the Jews have no dealings with the Sama- 
ritans. Little did the woman think, that 
no less a person than the Son of God, 
requefted this small favour at her hands : 
had fbe been acquainted with his high 
dignity, fhe would certainly, without hes- 
itation, have granted his requeft. But 
Jesus, perceiving her delay, proceeded to 
let her know, that he was well able to 
make her the moft noble and beneficial 
return for the favour he afked. If thou, 
said he, kneweft the gift of God, and who 
it is that saith unto thee, give me to drink : 
thou wouldfi have afked of him, and he 
■would have given thee living water. The 
woman surprised to hear such a declara- 
tion, and no doubt, perceiving something 
awfully majeftic, and divinely amiable in 
the countenance of our Lord, without 
attending to his firft requeft, was touched 
with a curiofity to know who this ftranger 
was, and how he could come at the water 
he spoke of : Sir, said flie, thou haft no- 
thing to draw with, and the well is deep ; 
from whence then haft thou that living 
water ? Art thou greater than our jather 
Jacob, who gave us the rvell, and drank 
thereof himself and his children, and his 
cattle? Jesus replied to this queftion. 
Whosoever drinketh of this water fhall thirjt 
again ; but whosoever drinketh of the water 
that I fhall give him, fhall never thirft, but 
the water that I fhall give him, fhall he in 
him, a well of water springing up unto 
everlajiing life. Thus this divine teacher, 
from the circumftances of fitting by the 
fide of a well, and the woman preparing 
to draw water, described, in the moft beau- 
tiful allegor)', the efficacy and effefts of 
divine grace, and at the same time repre- 



HIS APOSTLES. 39 

sented the plenitude and perpetuity of it's 
happy consequences, which remain to an 
eternal duration. But the woman, ftill 
underftanding the words of our Lord in 
their plain literal sense, requefted him to 
give her a draught of the water he spoke 
of. that Ihe might thirft no more, nor have 
occafion to come daily to that well to 
draw. Our Redeemer then turned the 
discourse in such a manner, as gave him 
an opportunity of letting the woman un- 
derftand, that he v/as acquainted with her 
former and present way of life, and all 
her circumftances and affairs. Sir, says 
(he / perceive that thou art a prophet : 
and bemg convinced of his superior know- 
ledge, ftic defired his opinion of a queftion, 
which was a matter of contention between 
the Jews and Samaritans, whether the 
temple at Jerusalem, or mount Gerizim 
was the place where God would be wor- 
fliipped : Our fathers, said flie, worfhipped 
in this mountain : but ye say, that in Je- 
rusalem is the place where men ought to 
worfiip. Our Lord, in ansM^er to her in- 
quiry, informed her, that the time would 
soon approach, when the worfliip of God 
would not be confined, either to that moun- 
tain or Jerusalem ; but the great King of 
the universe, would be willing to accept 
all true spiritual worftiippers, without any 
regard to the place where they worfhip- 
ped. God, said he, is a Spirit ; and they 
that worfhip him, muft worfhip him in 
spirit and in truth. The woman replied 
to this, that flie supposed this point would 
be settled by the Mefliah, who was fliortly 
expefted to come, both by the Jewrs and 
the Samaritans. I know, said flie, that 
the Meffiah cometh, which is called Ckrifl : 
when he is come, he will tell us all things. 
To this Jesus direftly replied, I that speak 
unto thee am he. 

Juft at the moment when Jesus had 
told the woman that he was the Mefliah, 
the disciples returned ; and finding their 
mafter in close conversation with one that 
was a native of Samaria, and of conse- 
quence an enemy to the Jews, and to the 
temple worfliip at Jerusalem, they were 
very much surprised : but the woman, ha- 
ving heard Jesus call himself the Mefliah, 
left her pitcher at the well, and ran to the 
city to publifli the glad-tidings, that the 
Redeemer was then fitting at Jacob's well^. 



40 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



and had told her all tlic secret trnnsaftions 
of licr life, 'iliis declaration filled the 
lillenino- Samaritans with the hiohcfl ailo- 
nilhment, and at the same tnne raised 
their curinlity to see this cxiraordmary 
person, whom Moses and the prophets 
had foretold, and of whose appearance 
there was at that time so tmiversal an ex- 
pectation. 

During this interval, the disciples set be- 
fore their Lord the provifions which they 
had been procuring, and requeued him to 
cat ; but he seemed little to regard their 
intreaties, having turned his thoughts to 
divine meditations : but bein^ further ur- 
ged, he replied, that lie had meat to eat 
•zvhich they knew not of ; and gave them to 
undcrdand, that it was meat and drink to 
him to do the will, and proceed in the 
work of his heavenly Father: then looking 
about him, and seeing the Samaritans 
coming in crowds from their city ; he said 
to his disciples. Say ye not that there are yet 
four months, and then comcth the harveft ? 
Behold, I say unto you, Uft up your eyes, 
and look on the fields, for they are zohite 
already to liarvcfi ; and he that reapcth re- 
ceiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto Ufe 
eternal, thai both he that soweth and he 
^ that reapeth, may rejoice together. By 
this our Lord inftrucled his wondering 
disciples, and let them know that the con- 
verfion of these Samaritans, who were now 
in great crowds surroundmg him, w'as a 
greater aaiisfaction to him, than the plea- 
sure he could receive from the refrefhment 
lie might have experienced in partaking of 
their provifions : he let them know, that 
to gather this spiritual harveft, and finifli 
the work of his heavenly Father, was his 
j^roper food ; and adding, for the encou- 
ragement of his disciples, that as they had 
laboured with him in this harvefl of souls, 
so fhould they be partakers in the eternal 
harveft of joy. which would be the re- 
ward of their diligence in the work of God. 

The words of the woman had taken such 
an effect on the inhabitants of the city, 
that many of them believed that Jesus was 
certainly the Messiah; and when they crow- 
ned about him with wonder and joy, their 
fj.'i'l requefl was that he would condescend 
to go to their city, and takehis abode among 
them. The kind indulgent Saviour of sin- 
ners was so favourable to them, that lie 



complied with their petition, and flaid 
with them two days. This time he spent 
in preaching the kingdom of God, and in- 
flructinsT them in the nature of his relijrion. 
Such success attended his mmiftry, that a 
great number of the inhabitants of the city 
believed on him, and declared unto the 
woman at his departure, Now webelieve, not 
because of thy saying , for we_ have heard 
him ourjelvcs, and, know that this is indeed 
the Chrift, the faviouf of the world. 

Our Lord, having thus favoured the 
Samaritans with his heavenly inflructions, 
he left the city of Sychar, and continued 
his journey to Galilee : and though he did 
not expect much honour or eflecm among 
his countrymen, he would not neglect 
giving them an opportunity of receiving 
his heavenly doctrine. He had performed 
several miracles at Jerusalem, during the 
late feaft of the passover, at which many of 
the inhabitants of Galilee were present : 
his preaching amongft them, in conse- 
quence of this, was at firfl attended with 
great success, and he dwelt some small 
time at Cana, where he had turned the 
water into wine, and both himself and his 
doctrine w^re kindly received. 

While he abode in that city, a nobleman 
of Capernaum, having heard of the many 
miracles he performed, came to him, and 
addressed him with the utmofl reverence 
and respect ; at the same time humbly be- 
seeching him to come to Capernaum, and 
heal his son, who lay at the point of death. 
Our Lord was so compassionate, as to 
comply with the latter part of the requefl, 
but thought proper to give the concerned 
parent to underfiand that there was no ne- 
cessity for him to take a journey to Caper- 
naum to effect his cure : for that great 
Being, who was present in all places, 
could perform his mighty works, without 
personally appearing at the place where 
the miracle was wrought: Jesus, there- 
fore dismissed the father, with a declara- 
tion that his son was reftored to health, 
but refused to accompany him to his city : 
Go thy way, said he, thy son liveth. The no- 
bleman, not doubting the truth of what 
our Lord had declared, departed to his 
house ; but before his arrival he was met 
on the road by his servants, who brought 
the joyful news, that his son was perfectly 
recovered. The father enquired, at what 



AND LIVES OF KIS APOSTLES. 



4i 



time they perceived the firfi: alteration in 
him ; the servants repHed, Yejicrday, at 
the seventh hour, the fever left him. By 
this, the joyful father perceived, that his 
son recovered immediately as Jesus had 
spoken the words, thy son liveth ; and 
was fully convinced, that this cure was 
performed by the mighty power of Godi 
This amazing inftance of divine power and 
goodness, fully convinced the nobleman, 
and all his family, not only that Jesus 
was a true prophet, but that he was the 
MelTiah, that great deliverer of his people, 
so long expefted in the world. 

Some fhort time after this, Jesus de- 
parted from Cana, and went to Nazareth, 
the place where he had been brought up, 
and where he had dwelt till he entered 
on his public miniftry. There, as had 
been his conftant cuftom, he went to the 
synagogue on the Sabbath-day, and at- 
tended on the reading of the law and 
the prophets. After the palfages appointed 
for the service of the day were read, Jeses 
took the book from the hand of the per- 
son who officiated, and opened it on this 
celebrated prediftion of the Meffiah, in 
the prophecy of Isaiah, The spirit of the 
Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed 
me to preach the gospel to the poor ; he 
hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, 
to preach deliverence to the captives, and 
recovering of fght to the blind, to set at 
liberty them thai are bruised, to preach the 
acceptable year of the Lord. 

It is the opinion of some learned and 
judicious commentators, that our Lord 
read this palfagc in native Hebrew, which 
"vyas then a dead language, and as it was 
known by his townsmen, that he was not 
learned, it excited their admiration, espe- 
cially when he expounded it v/ith such 
clearness of judgment, and beauty of ex- 
preffion ; and what th6 more raised their 
aftonifhment, he applied it to himself : but, 
as he had performed no miracles in their 
city, they seemed to be offended : perhaps, 
they imagined, that the place of his nati- 
vity fhould have claimed his firfi; regard, 
and that his friends and townsmen fhould 
have been the objefts of his peculiar care ; 
and as it appeared, that with a word, he 
could heal the fick or diseased at a diftance, 
it is very likely, they thought that there 
ftiould not have been one nek, lame, or 
No. 2. 



blind person, at Nazareth. That they real- 
ly entertained such sentiments as these, is 
plain from our Saviours own words. Ye 
will surely say to me, Phyfcian, heal thy- 
self; whatever we have had done m Ca- 
pernaum, do also here in thy country: 
they seem to have hinted to our Lord, 
that it was unkind in him to heal the 
nobleman's son at Capernaum, and take 
no notice of the fick and diseased at Naza- 
reth ; which, being' the place of his nati- 
vity and refidence, fhould have been a 
larger fharer in his benevolence and care, 
than those cities which were unknown to 
him, and therefore could have no claim on 
his goodness. To this infinuation, our 
Lord thought fit to reply, by giving them 
an account of the conduft of the two 
great prophets Elijah and Elifha, who 
were direfted by the God of Israel to 
exert those miraculous powers, which lie 
had given them^ in favour of Heathens, 
when many of the people of Israel flood 
in need of their afTiflance. / tell you of a 
truth, said he, many zddows were in Lraet 
in the days of Elias, when the heaven was 
jhut up three years and fix months, when 
great famine was throughout all the land ; 
but unto none of them was Elias sent, savs 
unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman 
that was a widow. And many lepers were 
in hrael in the time of Elissus the prophet ; 
and none of them was cleansed, saving 
Naaman the Syrian. No sooner had our 
Redeemer spoken these words, than the 
synagogue was in an uproar ; the whole 
affembly foamed with rage, and was the 
more unruly and turbulent, because none 
of them knew how to reply ; but forget- 
ting the solemnity of the Sabbath, they 
seized the Saviour of the world, and took 
him by force, to the brow of the hill on 
which their city flood, thinking to have 
thrown him down, and dafhed him to 
pieces ; but no sooner were they come to 
the place where they intended to have put 
their cruel defigns in execution, than they 
were imprefled with awe ; and each look- 
ed on the other, none daring to make the 
horrid attempt. Our Redeemer perceiv- 
ing the confternation which they were in, 
departed from amongft them, and none 
presumed to detain him. 

Our Saviour being thus treated by the 
blind, outrageous fury of his townsmen. 



-12 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



and the cn\v\ usngc lie lind received, V.q 
removed his place cf relidenee, and for 
some time abode at Capernaum. This 
\s-as th.e capital city (^i Galilee, and was 
built on the borders of the lake of Gcne- 
sareth. 

It mav not be improper in this place, to 
give a lliort account of this lake. It is 
called, in the Old 1\llament, the sea oi 
Chinnercth ; but, in the Evangelifls, it 
has three several names : it is called the sea 
ol Galilee, from the province where it was 
fituated ; the sea of Tiberias, from a city 
of that name on its weflern fhore ; and 
the lake of Gencsarcth, from the name of 
a eonfiderable part of Galilee, extending 
alona its weftern fhore. According to 
Jose])hus, It was twenty-two miles in 
length, and five in breadth ; the bottom 
being of gravel, rendered the water both 
clear and good tailed : it was said to be 
softer than either fountain or river water, 
and at the same time so cold, that it would 
not grow warm, though exposed to the 
rays of the sun in the hottefl season of the 
year. The river Jordan runs through this 
lake, and it abounds with plenty of excel- 
lent fifh, and some sorts that are not to be 
found in any other place. 

The countries surrounding: this lake, ac- 
cording to the above-mentioned hiflorian, 
were fertile and populous, especially the 
two Galilees, which contained a great 
number of towns and villages, the leafl of 
which included fifteen hundred souls. On 
the eafl-fide, were the cities of Chorafm, 
Bethsaida, Gadara, and Hippon ; on the 
weft, Capernaum, Tiberias, and Tarrichea. 
From all these advantages, it was a com- 
mon saying amongft the Jews, that God 
had a peculiar love to the sea of Galilee : 
and if wc confider, that, added to the 
above-named privileges, it was so often 
favoured with the presence of our great 
Redeemer, we mufl allow that the obser- 
\ ation was jufl ; for frequent were his ex- 
curfions on these waters, while he dwelt 
at Capernaum ; and once he honoured 
them with his presence, and worked a mi- 
racle in their flrearas, after he had risen 
from the dead. 

It was the divine will, that Jesus fhould 
spend a eonfiderable time in preaching, 
and working miracles, to confirm the truth 
of his divine miffion, and inftruft his dis- 



ciples in the doftrine which they were 
afterwards to preach through all the na- 
tions of the world. He did not chuse to 
take up his abode at Jerusalem, because 
he knew the oppofition which he would 
meet with from the Scribes and Pharisees, 
the chief priefls and rulers, and the great 
men of the nation. The ambition and 
envy of these men would never have 
suffered so celebrated a teacher as Jesus 
Christ, to have refided amongfl them. 
Our Lord therefore chose to dwdl at Ca- 
pernaum, where he had lately, by refloring 
the nobleman's son, procured himself 
friends, and he was sure of" a kind recep- 
tion. Nor is it unlikely, that so great and 
benevolent a miracle fhould be generally 
known in the city, and not have influenced 
the minds of the inhabitants in favour of 
our Redeemer, while it prepared them 
for the reception of his heavenly doftrine. 
This city seemed a place highly conve- 
nient for the execution of his great and 
benevolent defigns ; for it being the capital 
of the country, and nearly bordering on 
the lake, it was frequently crowded' with 
merchants and traders ; who, on their re- 
turn to tJieir respeftive countries, might 
spread the report of what they might be 
eye and ear witneffes of ; and by this 
means, the miracles and do6frine of the 
Saviour of the world, might be related in 
diflant places. It was in the city of Ca- 
pernaum, and the adjacent cities and vil- 
lages bordering on the lake, that our great 
Redeemer spent two out of the three years 
of his public life; moft commonly going to 
Jerusalem at the public feaits, but soon re- 
turning. He frequently preached in the 
synagogues on the Sabbath-day, not only 
in Capernaum, but in the other cities of 
GaJilee ; and of ten the country villages, 
the fields, the mountains, the plains, and 
the waters of the lake were bleffed with 
his presence ; and his heavenly doftrine 
was learned by the attentive multitudes 
who followed him, to hear his words and 
see his wondrous works. 

It was in one of these excurfion.'?, that 
he called Simon, and Andrew. These dis- 
ciples were following their occupation of 
hfliing on the lake : they had known him 
before, and immediately followed him. 
Soon after, he saw James, and John, who 
were busy in the same employment : he 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



43 



called them also, and they readily obeyed. 
Perhaps, they might have been acquainted 
with our Redeemer on the banks of Jor- 
dan ; or if not, his call was accompanied 
with such a manifeflation of divine power, 
tliat all their scruples were overcome, and 
with a joyful readiness and elation of 
mind, they followed the Saviour of the 

world- 
Accompanied by these disciples, our 
bleffed Redeemer took a tour through 
several cities, towns, and villages in Ga- 
lilee : the time he spent in this progress, 
is not particularly noted by the evange- 
lifb, but we are told, that he wrought a 
great number of miracles, that he healed 
the diseases of those that applied to him, 
and performed such wonderful works, that 
his fame drew great multitudes of people 
after him, not only from Galilee, but the 
remoter parts of Judea, and even from 
beyond Jordan : nor was the fame of the 
wonders he performed, confined to the 
land of Israel, for the inhabitants of Syria 
brought their fick into the province of 
Galilee, to be healed by the Saviour of 
mankind. 

The bleffed Jesus, perceiving himself 
followed by a vail multitude of people, 
who all crowded around him, with the 
utmoft earneftness and attention, ascended 
a mountain that was near at hand, and 
placing himself on the eminence, while all 
the people ftood on the fides of the hill, 
he addreffed the liftenin^ thrcng^ from 
thence ; and with the moft intelligent 
fimplicity and plainness, joined with the 
raoft powerful heart-affefting energy, he 
inculcated in them the moral precepts of 
his religion. 

He began his divine discourse, with the 
do6lrine of happiness, a subjeft which 
had claimed the firft attention of the 
schools of the philosophers, and the wise 
men of the age; and a subjeet, which, in 
its own nature, claims the confideration 
o{ every intelligent being, and the more 
so, as the wiseft of mankind have differed 
very much in their definitions what true 
happiness is, as well as the means by which 
it is to be attained. The Jews in general, 
concluded it to confift in opulence, gran- 
deur, and glory ; and on that account they 
wifhed to see the Meffiah's kingdom, be- 
cause they supposed it would be a tempo- 



ral dominion, and that a golden sceptre, 
inftead oi' a sceptre of righteousness, would 
be the sceptre of his kingdom ; and so pre- 
vailing was the opinion of the temporal 
reign of the Meihah, that the disciples 
themselves retained this notion, till after 
his resurreftion, and probably were induced 
to follow him at firft, by the expectation of 
high honours and rewards. 

The bleffed Jesl'S, therefore, thought 
fit to fhew his hearers in creneral, and his 
disciples in particular, their miftakes in so 
important a point, and let them know, 
that happiness did not confift in the abun- 
dance of things poffeffed, nor in the opi- 
nion which the world might form con- 
cerning them, but in an entire refignation 
of mind to the will of God, who is per- 
fectly wise and good, who orders and dis- 
poses all things with tlie utmoft accuracy 
and exactness, so as to promote the beil 
intereft of his people ; and an acknow- 
ledgment of his superior wisdom, and our 
own blindness and folly, tends to the ease 
and quiet of our minds, when we are 
oppreffed and affilifted, and cannot discern 
the wise ends of his dispensations. Bleffed^ 
said our great Redeemer, are the poor in 
spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 
And though the sense of our own mean- 
ness and unworthiness mig-ht excite us to 
mourn, and fill us with sorrow of heart, 
the divine teacher informed his hearers, that 
this was a true fign of succeeding happi- 
ness : Bleffed, said he, are they that mourn, 

for they fhall he comforted. Our exalted 
Redeemer further proceeded to inform his 
attentive hearers, that true happiness did 
not confift in the gratification of their 
inordinate paffions and inclinations, but 
in the suppreffmg of them, and keeping 
them within the bounds of reason and 
relidon. Bleffed are the meek, for they 

fiall inherit the earth. Bleffed are they 
which do hunger and thirft after righte- 
ousness, for they fiallbe filled. Bleffed 
are tlie merciful, for they fiall obtain 
mercy. Bleffed are the pure m Juart, for 
they fall see God. The divine teacher 
then proceeded to observe, that happi- 
ness did not confift in what the world 
calls conqueft and glory : for tyrants and 
conquerors, who difturb the peace, and 
deftroy the comforts of mankind, are mcft 

^ deplorably miserable : but true happiness 



44 



LIFE OF JE 



SUS CHRIST 



falls to the fliare of iliosc who are lovers 
oi peace, and seek to promote kindness, 
benevolence, and all the social afict^ions 
amonolt men ; for they imitate the perfec- 
tion ol li(.'a\'cnlv goodness, which so con- 
spicuoiiilv lliines in their Maker, and will 
therefore be called his children. BhJ/cd 
are the pcacc-makcrs, said our exalted Re- 
deemer, ^6)?' they jhall be called the children 
of God. And if these holv and amiable 
persons, (hould not at firlt find that 
happiness, which they are entitled to as 
heirs of heaven ; though they Iliould be 
reviled and persecuted by the wicked of 
this world ; though they Ihould be de- 
pri\cd of their comforts, and undergo 
the severed trials ; yet the great Savi- 
our of mankind pronounces them blelfed. 
BlcJJed, said he, are they that are perse- 
cuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is 
the kingdom of heaven. Solid contentment 
and true happiness, the heavenly teacher 
informs us, are not to be expcfted from 
the praise of men, nor from the noise of 
popular applause, but will hereafter be the 
portion of those who are falsely reviled 
for their integrity and uprightness, and 
their fleady attachment to the truth ; su-ch 
persons measurably partake of the suffer- 
ings of Christ : and it was by these per- 
secutions, and the contempt of the world, 
that the prophets have been in all ages 
diflinguifhed, Bleffed are ye when men 
fJiall revile you, and persecute you, and say 
all manner of evil agawjl you falsely for 
my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad, 
J or great is your reward in heaven ; for so 
persecuted they the prophets which were be- 
fore you. 

Such were the declarations of the Son 
of God, with the reference to the happiness 
of man ; after which, the bleffed Jesus 
addreffed himself to his disciples, and 
pointed out their duty as preachers of 
the gcspel, deiigned by the sovereign 
Ruler of all things, to teach his will, and 
lead others in the paths of eternal happi- 
ness. But, as the doftrine which he had 
advanced was so directly contrary to the 
traditions of the Scribes and Pharisees, our 
Redeemer thought it neceffary to inform 
his disciples, that he had no intention to 
dcllroy the moral precepts contained in the 
law and the prophets, but to fulfill and con- 
firm ihcm, Nothing is more firnij and fixed 



on a more immoveable bafis, than the 
great precepts of mortality : these, being 
copied from the perledions of, God, muff 
remain fixed and immoveable : the eternal 
laws of rio-hteousness cannot be altered ; 
heaven and earth will pas s away, but the 
moral law of God will always remain the 
same. This our great Redeemer finally 
enjoined his disciples to enforce iij the 
fhongeft manner, both by precept and 
example ; and gave them several inflances, 
in which the Scribes and Pharisees had 
interpreted the moral law in too loose and 
careless a nanner. He then condescended 
to aflifl their devotions, by teaching them 
that excellent form of Prayer, which is 
called by his name, and is in conflant use 
amongfl Chriflians. 

Our Father which art in heaven, The 
great Creator and Preserver of men, 
may be, with the highefl propriety, called 
our Father ; for it is to his almighty 
power, that we owe our exiftence ; he 
IS, in a peculiar and diflinguifhing manner, 
called the Father of spirits, because he 
alone is the author of all spiritual exig- 
ence. The form of our bodies owes it's 
original to his boundless, unerring wisdom, 
and all our aftive powers are the produce 
of his all-creating goodness. Nor is it only 
by right of creation, that the eternal God 
may juftly claim the title of our Father ; 
but the same endearing appellation is due 
to him on account of our daily preserva- 
tion : he watches over us, with the care 
of a Father, and we are conftantly made 
fharers in the benefits of his paternal ten- 
derness and protection. But there is Hill 
another and more emphatical sense, where- 
in God is the Father of his people : it is by 
the almighty power of his spirit, that they 
are regenerated ; and this great work is 
frequently, in the New Teflament, flyled 
being born of God : by this it is, that 
poor, lofl, undone finners, are formed 
anew, so that, partaking of his divine na- 
ture, they become his children indeed, 
and are permitted to lift up their eyes to 
the great King of the universe, and call 
him their Feather. In the former sense, 
God is the Father of the creation, and a 
parent to all his creatures, good or bad : 
but in the latter sense, he is a Father only 
to his own people, who are converted 
by his almighty power and spirit, enabled 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



45 



to believe in his Son, and to live such 
lives as are confiftent with the rules of 
his gospel. Father, is the moft grand and 
magnificent tide which can be found in 
the whole compass of nature, and it con- 
veys the mofl honourable and lovely idea 
that can be formed in the human mind : 
it is particularly happy in marking the 
effential character of the true God, who 
is the great Father of the universe. This 
noble and tender appellation not only 
displays him as the firlt cause of all things, 
but gives us a beautiful and lovely idea 
of his tenderness and care, which he ex- 
tends over all his creatures, whom he nou- 
riOies with an affeftion, and protefts with 
a watchfulness and care, vaftly superior to 
any earthly parent. We are permitted 
and encouraged to call the eternal God 
our Father, to encourage our hope in his 
goodness and mercy, in granting us every 
requeft that is not improper to be beftowed ; 
for a father would not deny a petition to a 
child, if it was in his power to give, and 
the petition was fit to be granted : and, 
at the same time, our being permitted to 
call God our Father, fhould raise in us 
an holy emulation, by exciting us to con- 
fider what sort of children we ought to 
be, who claim so high and honourable a 
relation. And our being exhorted to call 
God our Father, in the plural number, 
ought to put us in mind that we are all 
brethren, the children of one common 
parent, and that we fhould love one 
another in fincerity, and fincerely and 
fervently pray for the good of each 
other. 

WTiick art in heaven. By these words, 
we are commanded to express the glory, 
majefty, and power of the great God : his 
presence is not confined to the heavenly 
worlds ; the heaven of heavens cannot 
contain him ; the whole universe lies open 
to his eyes : his presence extends itself 
through the infinitude of space : at one 
vaft comprehenfive view, he beholds the 
whole creation, paft, present, and to come ; 
heaven is his throne, and earth is his foot- 
ftool ; the night and the day, the darkness 
and the light, are equal to him ; he sees all 
things, both inj^heaven and earth ; even hell 
is naked before him, and deJlruElion hath 
no covering. But, by God's being in hea- 
ven, we are to underftand, that this is the I 
No. 2. * 



place where his glories are plaineft seen, 
and where he is beft worfliipped. 

Hallowed be thy name. By the name of 
God, the Hebrews underflood the divine 
Majefl:y himself, all his attributes, and his 
works ; and therefore, we are to under- 
ftand by this petition, a defirc in the wor- 
fhipper, that the honour, dignity, glory, 
and majefty of the great Creator, may be 
displayed and exalted amongft men ; as 
much as though we fhould pray, may 
thy cxiftence be universally believed, thy 
supremacy over all things acknowledged, 
thy goodness believed and confided in, and 
may all men think well, honourably, and 
worthily of thee, of all thy works, and all 
thy ways, and all thy dealings towards 
them. 

Thy kingdom come. May thy glorious 
gospel, and the spiritual kingdom of thy 
Son, be extended over the whole earth ; 
and may all ignorance, superftition, idola- 
try, and iniquity, be driven before the glo- 
rious rifing of the Sun of righteousness. 

Thy will be done on earth, as it is in 
heaven. May the sons of men be turned 
from darkness to light, and from fin and 
Satan to the knowledge of thyself, and by 
the divine aids of thy Spirit, may they be 
enabled to do thy will, as fteadily and 
fincerely, though not with such perfeftion, 
as it is done by the angels of light in the 
heavenly world. 

Give us this day our daily bread. Be 
pleased, O thou great Parent of the uni- 
verse ! who supplieft all thy creatures from 
the rich fountain of thy fulness, to give 
us, day by day, such a portion of thy 
creature-comforts, as may enable us to 
serve thee with cheerfulness and satisfaftion 
of mind. 

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive 
our debtors. God being the supreme 
and righteous Governor of the world, he 
hath a right to punifli those who break 
his juft and equitable laws. The suffer- 
ing'of punifhment is therefore a debt, which 
finners owe to supreme juftice : and when 
we are commanded to pray, that God will 
forgive us our debts, the meaning is, that 
he will remit that dreadful puniftiment due 
to our fins. This enormous debt, the 
great King of the universe, on account 
of the satisfaftion which his juftice has 
received, in the blood and righteousness 

M 



I 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



4^ 

ol his S>)n, is rc:ulv to ior^ivc to all 
that believe in hini, with such a lively 
and powerful faith, as produces a fteady 
and prevailing c^bcdience to his gospel. 
But the infinite mercy ol (>od in tbririvino- 
our transgrcflions, ought at all times to be 
remembered hv us, in such a manner as to 
sjften our minds, and inspire them with a 
readiness to lorgrive those who have trans- 
grefl'ed againfl us. We give but a poor 
evidence, that by a fincere and influen- 
tial faith, we are become partakers of" 
di\ i:ie forgiveness, if we indulge an unfor- 
giving temper of mind, and pursue with 
inexorable and implacable rasentmcnt, 
those who have tranbgrelfcd againft us. 

And lead us not into temptation, but 
deliver us from evil. Deliver us, O thou 
eternal Father of our spirits ! thou great 
maker and supporter of the feeble frame 
of our bodies! from such temptations as 
thou kflowefl will be too hard for us. Pre- 
serve us, O Lord ! from such temptations 
as are too powerful for human nature, 
either by removing them from us, or grant- 
ing such a measure of thy grace, and such 
alliilance from thy Holy Spirit, as may 
enable us to overcome. Make us senfible, 
O our God ! how weak and frail we are ; 
may v/e never presume on our own 
flrength, but depending on thy grace, 
may we, in thy might, be enabled to over- 
come all our spiritual foes, and be pre- 
s; rved to thy heavenly kingdom. 

For thine is the kingdom, the power, 
and the glory, for ever and ever. Thou, 
O God ! art the eternal, universal Mon- 
arch ; thy kingdom is an everlafling king- 
dom, and thy dominion extendeth over 
all : the government of the universe is 
thine, and thou reignefl the great inde- 
pendent King of the creation : thou, by 
t'.iinc infiiute poAv^er, firfl didft eflablifh, 
and now prescrvefl the ftupendious frame 
of nature : all power in heaven and earth 
is in thine hand, thou canft do what thou 
pleascfl, and none can flay thine hand, 
or say unto thee. What doft thou ? Thou 
art able, by thine almighty power, to pro- 
tect and defend all thy faithful servants ; 
and thou holdeft omnipotence in thine 
hand to crufh thy daring foes. Thou art 
all perfect and all glorious ; thou art pos- 
sefled of every attribute and every per- 
fection whi'ch juflly renders thee the ob- 



jeft of supreme adoration and the delight 
of the whole rational and intelligent crea- 
tion. We adore thine almighty, thine 
irrehflible power ; we venerate thy bound- 
less, thine unsearchable wisdom ; we rever- 
ence thine impartial, thine inflexible 
juftice; we rejoice in the glories of thine 
all-supporting goodness : and exult in the 
contemplation of thine inmiutable mercy. 
Open our eyes, O Lord ! that we may 
see thy glory. May we be enabled at all 
times to bless and praise thy holy name, 
and may we ■ be of the number of those, 
whose delightful employment will be to do 
thy will, and hng thy praises for ever and 
ever. 

Such was the Prayer which the Son 
of God himself delivered to the multitude 
who surrounded him ; from which it 
may be learned, that the great King of 
the universe, who is seated on the exalted 
throne of heaven, surrounded by angels 
and archangels, and conflantly adored by 
all the holy and happy inhabitants of the 
upper world, is so kind and condescend- 
ingly good, as to hear the cries, and at- 
tend to the petitions of finful man. What 
an animating, heart-reviving thought it is, 
that poor, frail, finful creatures are per- 
mitted to ftand before the throne of the 
eternal God, and call him our Father ! 
The glimmering light of the dim-winking 
taper, which fleeps in its socket, is not 
more exceeded by the splendour and glory 
of the sun fliining in his ftrength, than the 
brio-htness of the throne, the extent of the 
dominions, the power, glory, and majcfty 
of the great King of the creation, exceeds 
the molt exalted prince on earth. Earthly 
princes are so proud, and their miniflers 
and attendants so covetous and haughty, 
that they are rendered inaccefhble to the 
greatefh part of their subjefts ; but the 
great Monarch of the universe, the supreme 
Lord (»f heaven and earth, is easy of access ; 
he calls upon finners to seek his face, 
and the meaneft of mankind may at all 
times have free access to his exalted throne. 
How blind and flupid, how regardless of 
their befl interefl, how cruel to them.selves 
are those men who will not pray I We arc 
poor neccfhtous creatures ; we ftand in 
need of various blefiings ; God hath all 
things to give ; and God hath said, Afk 
and ye fliall receive : he hath ere6led a 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



47 



throne of grace, and is at all limes ready 
to hear and answer our prayers ; and 
Ihall we be so very deficient as not to 
pray ? Shall we, when in diflress, and 
preffed with the moft urgent fieceffities, 
ftand at a gloomy diftance, and refuse 
to aik ? What folly and madness is 
this ! It is highly incumbent on all who 
have neglefted this duty, to conhder 
their ways, to treasure up our Lord's words 
in their hearts, and daily, with fervant 
prayer, approach the throne of that God, 
who is willing to hear, and able to help, in 
every time of need. And w^hen we seri- 
oufly refleft on this excellent Prayer pro- 
posed by the Son of God, and are admi- 
ring the vail extent of divine mercy and 
forgiveness, w^e ought to remem.ber, that 
in this Prayer, we are reminded of our 
duty to forgive one another ; and we may 
learn from hence, that a mild, placable, 
forgiving spirit, is not only w^ell-pleafing to 
our heavenly Father, but has a manifeft 
tendency in it's own nature, to prepare 
us, in the habitual temper of our minds, 
for the forgiveness" of God. 

The next point, w^hich our Lord treated 
on in his admirable sermon, "was the duty 
of fading. In this part of his discourse, he 
severely blamed the conduct of the Pha- 
risees, who made the greateft oflentation 
of their religion, and w^ere particularly 
fond of mortification and fafting. Hence, 
that they might be remarked for superior 
degrees of ftrictness and sanftity, and ap- 
pear to men of the moft recluse and mor- 
tified dispofition, they disfigured their faces, 
and appeared with sad and sorrowful coun- 
tenances ; but our Lord enjoins us not to 
perform our religious exercises, with deiign 
to be seen of men, but, vrith all upright- 
ness and fincerity of heart, to regard the 
omnipresence of our heavenly Father, who 
sceik in secret, and will rcocard openly all 
his faithful worfhippers. The divine orator 
then turned his discourse to another sub- 
je£f, and inculcated the necelTity of hea- 
venly-mindedness on his attentive and re- 
spe6lful audience. So vaftly important in 
their nature, and extenfive in their dura- 
tion, are the concerns of the soul above 
those of the body, that it is the higheft wis- 
dom of man, closely to attend to heavenly 
things, and at all times to give them the 
preference to the frail and fleetinc? trifles 



of this present - world. Lay not up for 
yourselves treasures upon eari/i, said the 
heavenly Teacher, ichere moth and rujt 
doth corrupt, and ichere thieves break 
through and jleal ; but lay up for yourselves 
treasures in heaven, zohere neither moth nor 
ruji doth corrupt, and zvhcre thieves do not 
break through nor fteal : for where your 
treasure is, there will your heart he also. 
The fhortness and uncertainty of our abode 
in this present ftate, with the many disaft- 
ers wdiich may happen to us, and take 
away our worldly poficfTions, ihould ex- 
cite us not to put our truft or confidence in 
any thing w^hich belongs to this world : it 
is greater wisdom to contemplate on heav- 
enly things, to confider their superior ex- 
cellency, and the extent of their duration, 
with such a fixt and unremitting attention, 
as may work in the soul an habitual de- 
fire after them, and prepare us. in the 
prevailing temper of our minds, for the en- 
joyment of them. 

Our Lord was the more earneft in 
recommending this heavenly-mindedness 
to his hearers, because it was a doctrine 
which they had not been used to hear 
from their former teachers. The Jewifii 
do6lors were, in general, ftrangers to 
the blelTedness and glorv of an happy 
eternity. The rewards promised to the 
keepers of the law, were chiefly of a tem- 
poral nature ; and as it was the gospel of 
Christ, which brought life ajid ivimoi'- 
tality to light, the doctrine of eternal 
happiness was the peculiar province of our 
Redeemer ; and thai they might not sup- 
pose that the heavenly-mindedness which 
he recommended, was confiftent with a 
covetous and anxious defire after vrorldly 
riches, our Lord informs them that these 
things are direclly contrary to each other. 
No man, says he can serve tzvo mafers ; 
for either he will love the one, and hate the 
other, or else he zuill hold to tiie one, and 
dispise the other : ye cannot serve God and 
vuvnmon ! 

Our Lord proceeded to enforce the hea- 
venly doclrine by afferting the universa- 
lity of the providence of God, and his 
paternal care over the leaft and meaneft of 
his creatures. Behold, says he, the fowls 
of the air : for they sow not, neither do 
they reap, nor gather into barns ; yet your 
heavenly Father fcedeth them. Are not ye 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



viuch bdtcr than they? If the providence 
oF God extends to the meaneft and niofl 
inhgnifii-ant ol his creatures, and liis wis- 
dom hath so conduded liis wide creation, 
that there is abundant provifion made lor 
the fowls ot tlie air, and bealts of the field, 
{hall his creature man, whom he hath 
placed at the head of his lower creation, 
and made the objetl of his peculiar care, be 
over anxious and careful, or gloomy and 
discontented for fear he fliould not be able 
to procure food and raiment How un- 
worthy is this of his superior reason, and 
liow dilhonourablc to his great Maker, and 
moft bountiful Benefaftor ! Thus the di- 
vine Teacb.er led the moll ignorant and 
illiterate of his hearers to entertain great 
and sublime ideas of God and his provi- 
dence ; and gave them a more elevated 
and extenlive view of the nature of his 
government than had been taught in the 
schools of the philosopers : for though 
they believed that there was a God, and 
that he made and governed the world, 
they had but very dark and confused no- 
tions of his particular providence, as it 
relates to the ilate of every individual in 
his creation. This, our great Redeemer 
gave them to underftand, was fixed by the 
universal Governor, with more exaaness 
and precifion than was generally imagined, 
and less in the power of individuals to 
alter by their utmofl anxiety and care. 
Which of you, says he, by taking thought, 
can add one cubit unto his Jiature? 

The illuflrious Preacher then proceeds 
from the animal, to the vegetable part 
of the creation, and infers the absurdity 
of anxious and vexati';us cares concern- 
ing raiment. Can it be supposed that the 
great Being, who spreads frefh verdure 
over the fields, and adorns them with those 
flowers which fhine brighter than the 
gol(!en embroidery which glitters on the 
purple rcbes of kings, will not provide 
raiment for his own people ? Will he thus 
clothe the inanimate and negleft the noblefl 
part of his creation ? Conjidir, said the 
exalted Redeemer, the lilies oj the field, 
how ihey grow, they toil not, neither do they 
spin; and yet I say unto you, that even 
Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed 
like one oJ these. Wherejore, if God so 
clothe the gra^s of the field, which to-day 
is, and to-morrow is cajl into the oven,JIiall 



he not much more clothe you, 0 ye of tittle 
faith ? Let these confi derations excite you, 
he adds, to be easy and quiet, patient and 
refigned to the allotments of Providence. 
Seek firfi. the kingdom of God and his righ- 
teousness. Make it your firil great con- 
cern to purfue the intcrell of your immor- 
tal souls, and refl not till you have ob- 
tained a rational and scriptural satisfaction 
that your eternal intereft is safe ; and, when 
this great blefling is obtained, be not 
anxious or vexatioufly careful concerning 
the things of time and sense, but reft as- 
sured that all these things, so far as neces- 
sary to your supreme good, fiall be added 
unto you. 

The exalted Redeemer, now drawing 
towards the conclufion of his discourse, pro- 
ceeded to forbid all rafh and uncharitable 
judgment, either with regard to the general 
charafters or particular aftions of men. 
This is an evil of the moil atrocious kind ; 
innocence and virtue often suffer, and, 
however sorry the flanderer may be for the 
wrong done, the injury cannot be repaired. 
No charafter is more hurtful to society, 
and no person more hateful to God and 
man than the flan erer ; and our Lord in- 
timates that both God and man will res<^nt 
the injury done to his creatures. Judge 
not, said he, that ye be not judged. If you 
judge charitably, said the kind and com- 
painonate, the meek and benevolent Sa- 
viour of mankind ; if you make allowances 
for the frailty of human nature, and are 
ready to pity and pardon those who have 
offended you, both your heavenly Father, 
and your fellow-mortals will deal with you 
in the same manner. But if you are always 
ready to hear, and eager to spread flan- 
derous reports; if you putthe harfheftcon- 
ftruftion on every a8ion ; if you are pleas- 
ed to hear of another's miscondu6l, or mis- 
fortunes, and never touched with the feel- 
ing of your brother's infirmities ; if you 
take all opportunities to injure him in the 
opinion of mankind, or pursue him with 
inexorable and implacable resentment ; if 
you are a ftranger to mercy or forgiveness, 
no mercy, or forgiveness will you find, 
either from offended Omnipotence, or in- 
jured and insulted man. For with what 
judgment ye judge, ye fiiall be judged ; and 
with what measure ye mete, it Jhall be mea- 
sured to you again. 



AND LIVES OF 

In order to prevent mankind from pafT- 
ing ralh and censorious judgment, our 
great Redeemer advises them to look unto 
themselves ; and if they would carefully 
advert to their own*errors and failings, they 
I would find less time, as well as less defire, 
j to censure the reft of mankind. It fre- 
j quently happens that those persons who are 
' moft ready to censure and condemn their 
fellov7-cre'atures, and moft eager to search 
out, and expose the failings of others, are 
not the moft blameless themselves ; but 
j frequently more culpable than the persons 
whom they are so ready to accuse. It is 
' therefore with the higheft reason that our 
great Redeemer exhorted his hearers to 
look unto themselves, and carefully mend 
their own faults, which would be of greater 
jj service to them than endeavouring to ex- 
pose and scandalize those who are better 
1 than they. And zuhy beholdcjl thou the mote 
that is in thy brother s eye, and conjidereji 
not the beam that is in thine ozm eye : or 
how wilt thou say to thy by-other ; let me 
pull out the mote out of thine eye; and 
fj behold, a beam is in thine own eye. Thou 
hypocrite, Jirji cajt out the beam out of 
thine own eye, and then Jlialt thou see 
clearly to cajl out the mote out of thy bro- 
i ther's eye. 

Such are the several branches of moral 
, righteousness inculculcated by the Son of 
God ; but some are so perverse in their 
ji dispositions, and so obstinately attached 
to their evil practices and errors, that it is 
impossible to reclaim them ; and there- 
fore our Saviour advises his followers not 
i; to attempt it : Give not, says he, that 
\ which is holy unto the dogs \ neither cast ye 
your pearls before swine, lejl they tread them 
under their feet, and turn again and rent 
you. Laftly, that it might not be sup- 
posed that the moral precepts of Chriftian- 
ity were above the attainment of mankind, 
our Lord proceeded to inform his hearers, 
how gracious, and full of compaflion, their 
heavenly Father was, and how ready to 
jl hear and aflift all who called upon him ; 
I and in consequence advised them humbly 
j to intreat his affiftance, at the same time 
that they exerted their utmoft endeavours 
to do his will, and be found in the way of 
his commandments. Afk, says he, and it 
fliall be given you ; seek, and ye fiallfind; 
knock, and it fiali be opened unto you : for 



HIS APOSTLES. 49 

every one that afneth, receivelh ; and he that 
seeketh, findeth ; and to him that knockelh, 
it fiall be opened. Our Lord appeals to 
their own feelings towards their children, 
as an encouragement to be earneftin their 
petitions to their heavenly Father : If ye, 
being evil, says he, know how to give good 
gifts unto your children, how much more 
fiall your Father, which is in heaven, give 
good things to themthat afk him ? But, that 
they might not depend on the divine as- 
fiftance without the diligent exertion of 
their utmoft endeavours, our Lord imme- 
diately adds. Enter ye in at tjic fraight 
gate : for wide is the gate, and broad is the 
way that leadeth to defruUion, and many 
there be which go in thereat; because 
fraight is the gate, and narrow is the way 
which leadeth to life, and few there be that 
find it. 

The illuftrious Preacher, before he con- 
cluded his discourse, proceeded to warn 
his hearers of false prophets and teachers, 
who would come with fair pretences ; but 
as their lives and conversation were not 
answerable to their profession, nor hon- 
ourable to the cause they espoused, they 
were to be despised and disregarded : Ye 
shall know them by their fruits, said the 
divine Teacher ; do men gather grapzs of 
thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every 
good tree bringeth forth good fruit, but a 
corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. It is 
not the pretences to extraordinary piety 
and goodness ; it is not the moft flaming 
zeal, or the moft ardent devotion, that will 
compensate for a disregard to the divine 
commands, or a departure from the unva- 
riable rules of righteousness and goodness. 
It is not every one that saith, Lord, Lord, 
said the exalted Saviour of mankind, fiall 
enter into the kingdom of heaven ; but he 
that doeth the will of my Father which is in 
heaven. And then he sums up the whole, 
with a beautiful and ftriking fimile, intend- 
ed to demonftrate the absolute neceftiiy of 
such a regard to the words of Christ as 
influenced the mind and determined the 
conduft in an universal and perfifting obe- 
dience : Therefore, said he, whosoever hcar- 
eth these sayings of mine, and docth them. I 
will liken him unto a wise man, which built 
his house upon a rock ; and the rain de^ 
scended, and the foods came, and the winds 
blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell 
N 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



not : Jor it icas found, d upon a rock. And 
every one that heardli these sayings oj mine, 
and doeth thtm not. jhall helxkcnid unto a 
fooHpi man. which built his house upon the 
sand ; and the rain descended, and the 
Jloods came, and the xvtnds blezv, and beat 
upon that house, and it Jell, and great xcas 
the fall of it. Thus ended our Lord's 
excellent and admirable sermon. The mul- 
titudes flood around him with the utmofl: 



attention and surprise. The plain tokens 
of divinity which attended his discourse, 
joined with his all-commanding eloquence, 
attratled every eye, and affe61ed every 
heart : but what surprised the m the more 
was, the difference of his do6lrine from 
what they before had heard ; for he taught 
th. m as one having authority, and not as 
the Scribes, 



CHAPTER XL 



Christ having fimpicd his Sermon on the Mount, repairs to Capernaum, ahdon his way 
there IS met by a leprous Person, xohom he cleanses : On his entering the City, he is ac- 
cojled by a Roman Centurion, whose servant was ill of the Palsy, whom he heals : He 
aftencards repairs to the Synagogue on the Sabbath-Bay, where he dispoffc£dh a 
Devil : He cures Peter's Wife's Mother of a Fever, and many other diseased Per- 
sons : He Travels through Galilee; and dtreds the Disciples to take a great draught 
of Fflies, 



THE exalted Saviour of finners, ha- 
ving hnifhed his sermon, came down 
from the mountain, attended by a great 
concourse of people, who had liffened to 
his discourse, with the mixt emotions of 
wonder and joy. They surrounded the 
divine person of our Redeemer, with the 
mod respedful regard, and soon an inci- 
dent arose which gave them frefh cause of 
wonder and praise. As he was on his way 
to Capernaum, he was met by a leprous 
person, wlio, doubtless, having heard of 
his wonderful works, and the condescend- 
ing goodness with which he delivered the 
affh6ted and diseased, threw himself with 
the utmofl humility at his feet, and cried. 
Lord ij thou wilt, thou canf make me 
clean. 

The species of leprofy common amongft 
the Eafkrn nations, and the Jews, was 
very nauseous and infectious, as well as 
extremely liard to be cured. Our Lord 
was not deterred by this, from approach- 
ing an object so loathsome ; but full of 
pity, he condescended so far as to touch 
him, with this reply. / will : be thou clean. 
The dire infection immediately fled before 
the touch of the Son of God ; who charged 
the person, thus inftantaneously healed, 
not to publifh the matter abroad, but go 



directly and fhew himself to the priefl, 
offerino;, at the same time, the oblations 
which the law m such cases required. 

The blessed Jesus then proceeded to 
Capernaum, but as he entered the city, he 
was accofled by a Roman centurion, who 
with the care and tenderness of an indul- 
gent mafter, informed him of the dreadful 
condition of his servant, who was afflicted 
with a paralytic disorder, and grievously 
tormented with pain. The compaffionate 
Redeemer of mankind, liflened to his 
complaint with pitying attention, and re- 
plied to his address, that he would come 
and heal him. The centurion thought 
this goodness too much to be expected 
by one who was not of the Israelitifh na- 
tion, and, therefore, told our Lord, that 
he was not worthy so illuftrious a person 
fhould come under his roof: and he, very 
probably, having heard of the nobleman's 
son, who, while he lay sick at Capernaum, 
was healed by Jesus, when he was so far 
off as Cana, desired our Lord only to 
speak the word, and he doubted not but 
his servant would be healed ; for he be- 
lieved that diseases and devils were as 
much under the command of our Re- 
deemer, as his soldiers were subject to the 
will, and obeyed the word of their com- 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



51 



mander. Our Lord was well pleased with ^ 
the centurion's faith, and commended it in 
the higheft terms ; / have not found, said 
ht, so great fcdth, no not in Israel. 

This believing flranger, having applied 
the moft exalted ideas of the divine power 
and goodness of Jesus Christ, who ap- 
peared to be no more than a man, our 
Lord took occafion, from the open con- 
feffion of his faith, to declare the gracious 
defign of his Almighty Father towards the 
Gentile world, and gave the surrounding 
multitude to underftand, that the divine 
goodness was not confined to the seed of 
Abraham, nor to the land of Israel : A.nd I 
say unto you, said he, that many JlialL come 
from the Eaf, and the Weft, and [hall fit 
doxjcn zvith Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in 
the kingdom of heaven. And. having a clear 
view of the obftinacy, impenitence, and 
final unbelief of the Jewifir nation, he 
added, But the children of the kingdom 
fhall be caft out into outer darkness ; there 
fhdl be weeping and gnofliing of teeth. 
Having thus spoken to the liftening throng, 
our Lord directed his discourse to the cen- 
turion, and said, Go thy zcay ; and as thou 
haft believed, so be it done unto thee ; and 
immediately the ser\'ant was healed. 

On the next sabbath-day, Jesus went 
to the Jewifh svnagogue at Capernaum, 
and inftrucled the people with such energy 
and power, and at the same time, with 
such remarkable plainness and fimplicity, 
that the congregation heard him with the 
greateft pleasure and surprise : and to in- 
crease their admiration, there ^\'as a per- 
son in the affembly, that was poffeffed by 
an unclean and wicked spirit, who cried 
out in the moft dreadful manner: Let us 
alone, -what have we to do with thee, thou 
Jesus of Nazareth? Art thou come to de- 
ftroyus? I know thee, who thou art, the 
Holy One of God. But the bleifed Jesus, 
who wanted no such teftimony, command- 
ed him to keep filence, and immediately 
come out of the man ; this command, the 
wicked spirit durft not disobey, and di- 
reftly complied, leaving the disordered 
person, to the aftoniftiment of the ^^-hole 



congregation. 



It is conftantly alledged, by those who 
are enemies to our religion, and delight 
to cavil with the conduct of our Re- 
deerner, and depreciate his mighty deeds, 



that the persons, wlio are said in the gos- 
pels to be pofTefTed bv devils, where only 
affected by some ftran^e and unaccountable 
disorders : and because sepulchres were 
efi:eemed polluted places, the melancholy 
persons who frequented them, were said to 
be poffefTed with the devil. And the ad- 
versaries of our religion, are fond of in- 
quiring, why there Ihould be any more 
daemons in Judea, than in any other 
countr}^ 

To these objeclions it may, with great 
certainty be replied, that these dasmoniacs 
were not persons affecled only with some 
uncommon and dreadful disease ; for the 
evangelifts have taken care to be ^^ery par- 
ticular on that head : and being pcfrefled 
with the devil, is carefully diftinguiflred 
from any other afRiftion and complaint : 
St. Matthew tells us, that, They brought 
unto Chrif, all fick people, that were taken 
with divers diseases, and those that were 
poffcffed with devils, and those that zvere 
lunatic ; and he healed them, chap, iv. 
ver. 24. And again, chap. x. ver. 1. He 
gave to the apofles power againf evil 
spirits to caf them out, and to heal all 
manner of fickness and diseases. And we 
are informed by St. Mark, chap. i. 34. 
That tJuy healed many that were fick of 
divers diseases, and ccft out devils. There 
is in these palTages a plain diftinction 
between those who were fick of various 
diseases, and those who were pofiefTed 
Vv'ith devils ; and this being diftinclly 
noticed by the evangelifts. it cannot be 
supposed, that there were not plain, evi- 
dent marks of diftinftion, which made the 
cure so manifeft, that there was no danger 
of being deceived. 

And it mav further be obser\-ed, to those 
who doubt of the exiftence of evil spirits, 
that they cannot entertain such doubts 
without queftioning the truth of the Holy 
Scriptures ; for the sacred v/riters have laid 
down several particulars concerning these 
impious and envious beings ; they have 
taken care to acquaint us wiih. their origi- 
nal and fall, their names and numbers, their 
oovernment and orders, their mialicious 
defigns, and various, of their emiployments ; 
and it is abundantly evident, both from 
sacred and prophane hiftor}% that before 
our Saviour's ascenfion, there were great 
numbers of persons poflefied with evil 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



52 

spirits, Tlicse evil spirits had gained 
so great an ascendancy, and taken j)oncs- 
fion t)l so large a part ot the world, that 
tliev reviled the 5iroat Creator in his wor- 
Ihip ; and in several Heathen nations, there 
were oracles which were applied to, in 
order to resolve the doubts, and answer 
the enquiries of their wordiippers, And 
as the design of our Lord's incarnation, 
and his wiu^le miniltry. was to dcfiroy the 
zvorks of the devil ; perhaps, the reason why 
these apoilate spirits were so frequently 
permitted to appear in Judea at this time, 
was, that the Son of God might, in a 
more manifeil and triumphant manner, 
display his authority and power over the 
prince of darkness, and all his infernal le- 
gions, and thereby convince the wondering 
world, that he was really the Son of God, 
and the Saviour of mankind. 

The I'ame of this miracle was soon spread 
over the neighbouring country. Our Re- 
deemer had healed the sick, and done va- 
rious wonderful works, which had excited 
the admiration of the people, and raised 
their expectations of something very great 
and advantageous to the Jewefli nation, 
to arise from so extraordinary a person. 
But when the people beheld him in the 
public allembly, with a commanding au- 
thority, dispossess the devil, and drive the 
powers of darkness before him ; their afto- 
nifliment increased, ac d they acknowledged 
that this was tlie migldy poiuer of God. 

Our Lord having performed this miracle 
in the synagogue, he departed to Peter's 
h.ouse, whose wife's mother lay Tick of a 
fever ; he took her by the hand, and im- 
mediately the fever left her ; and so per- 
feftly was flie reftored to her former 
health, that Jlie arose and minijlered unto 
him. The evangelill Luke, in his account 
of this wonderful cure, says, that he re- 
buked the fever : which is a figurative way 
of speaking, conformable to the language 
of the Scriptures, where not only the in- 
cnimate parts of the creation, but diseases, 
famine, peililence, and the like, are perso- 
nated find represented as the servants of 
t!ie Almightv, to execute his vengeance 
on rebelli'ius finners : hence, says the pro- 
phet, before him went the pcfiiLencc ; and 
burning diseases went forth at his feet. 

Our Lord being grown popular, and 
famed through the city of Capernaum, for 



the authority and eloquence of his teach- 
ing, and the manifold wonders which he 
wrought, vail numbers of people resorted 
to him while he abode at Peter's house, 
and brought with them great numbers of 
fick persons, and those who were poffefTed 
with devils. The kind and companionate 
Saviour of the v/orld, was touched with 
pity at the fight of so many dillrefled and 
alHitled objeds ; when he immediately 
healed them all, and fulfilled, by his ex- 
tenfive, all-relieving goodness, the prophe- 
cy of Isaiah, which says, He himself took 
our infirmities, and bear our fckness. 

But the vaft crowds of people, M'ho 
now gathered about him in Capernaum, 
were not eafily to be bcrne, and to avoid 
the troublesome press, our Redeemer re- 
tired to the desert, whither he was soon 
followed by great multitudes of people, 
who were so delighted with his inftruc- 
tions, and had conceived so high an opi- 
nion of him, from his kind condescenfion, 
and his many wonderful works, that they 
defired him never to depart from them. 
But this requtft being inconfiilent with 
the nature of his miniflry, and the great 
defign of his coming into the world, he 
departed from the desert, and preached 
in the synagogues of Galilee; and after 
he had proceeded through various ci:ies 
of that country, he returned to Caper- 
naum, 

When our great Redeemer was known 
to be returned to the city, he was socn. 
surrounded by greax multitudes of people ; 
so that he was forced to retire into a fhip, 
which being a little way from the fhoie, the 
divine Inftruftor taught them from thence, 
while the attentive multitude crowded the 
sea-fide, and lillened with great attention 
to his heavenly words. 

When he had finifhed his discourse, he 
turned to Peter, who was the owner of the 
veffel, and advised him to launch out 
further from the fhore, and let down his 
filhing-net into the sea. Peter informed 
him of their unsuccessful toil durincr the 
night, but said, at his command, they would 
let down their net and make one trial 
more. Accordingly, they call into the wa- 
ter, and immediately found that their net 
had enclosed so prodigious a number of 
large fifii, that it was in danger of breaking. 
Peter, surprised at so ftrange a turn, and 



IP 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



53 



such unexpected success, and knowing it 
muft be produced by a supernatural pow- 
er, fell down at Jtsus's feet, Depart from 
me, said he, for lam a finful man, 0 Lord! 
He was convinced by this miracle, of the 
divinity of his mafter, and was at that time 
impreffed with awe from a sense of his own 
unworthiness : but the all-gracious Saviour 
of mankind bid him banifh his fears, and 
informed him, that henceforth himself and 
his companions fhould be engaged in more 
noble employments. Our Lord declared 
that they ihould catch men, meaning, 
that they fhould be made inftrumental 
in turning them from darkness to light, 
and from fm and ^atan to the knowledge 
of God. 

This miracle was confidered, by the 
disciples of Christ, as a fuller and plainer 
manifeftation of his divine power, and a 
clearer evidence of his bemg the Son of 



God, than those they had seen him perform 
in Capernaum and the adjacent country. 
It was the common opinion amongft the 
Jews, that good men, by their prayers, 
might prevail so far -with the almighty 
Governor of the world, as to heal the fick 
and caft out devils ; but they concluded 
that the creatures inhabiting the elements 
of the air or water, were subjeft only to 
the commands of our great Creator : and 
as he never granted to man an authority 
over these, the miracle which our Sa- 
viour had juft wrought, proved him to be 
the Son of God, and the great MefTiah ; 
and accordingly this manifeftation of 
divine power fully convinced the disciples 
of the divinity of their Mafter, and all 
they, without hefitation, joined in the 
resolution to follow him through the 
world. 



CHAPTER XIL 

Christ cleanseth a second Leper : He rebukes the form and calms the fea: He cafletk 
out the Legion of Devils, and suffer eth them to enter into an herd of Swine : He cures 
a Person who had long been afflicted ■ with the Palsy : And calls Matthew, who was 
sitting at the receipt of Custom. 



\ TpHE disciples now having every scru- 
-I. pie removed and being fully con- 
• vinced that their Mafter was the MefTiah, 
left their employment and followed him, 
, while, according to his usual cuftom, he 
went through various cities of Galilee 
I preaching the gospel of the kingdom of 
God, and confirming his divine do6lrines 
with the moft aftonifhing miracles. 

In one of the cities which he vifited on 
■ this occafion, he found a man said, by the 
j evangelift, to be full of leprosy, who, see- 
I ^'"c? Jesus, fell on his face, and besought 
: him, saying. Lord, if thou wilt thou canft 
j make me clean. It v.^as the cuftom of the 
priefts of Judea to drive from the conver- 
I sation of mankind, those persons who 
i were infeded wdth the contagious kind of 
leprosy ; and as this person was permitted 
to dwell in the city, it m^ay be supposed 
that his leprosy was not of the worft kind. 
I. His case, however, excited the compafTion 
No. 3. 



of our great Redeemer, who immediately 
cleansed him, and commanded him to de- 
part to Jerusalem, and fhew himself to the 
prieft, and offer the accuftomary gifts ; but 
not publifh abroad the account of his cure, 
nor make any noise about it. But the 
blefTing which the poor man had receiv- 
ed, was so great and unexpe6ted, and his 
heart was so full of gratitude and joy, that 
he could not contain it ; and he publifhed 
the great things which our Lord had done 
for him, to all men where ever he came. 
This brought such crowds of people to the 
Son of God, that he was obliged to de- 
part from Capernaum into the wilderness, 
where he spent some time in retirement, 
meditation, and prayer. 

Some writers have supposed that this 
leper, and the other mentioned in the fore- 
going chapter, were one and the same per- 
son ; but this muft be a miftake, the former 
bein? cleansed in the fields, the latter in 

o 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



54 

llic tiiv : alier cleanfing the fiiR, Jesus 
went to Capernaum and healed the cen- 
turion's servant ; aficr eurino- the latter, 
Jesl's retired into the w ilderness, to ihun 
the vail multitudes whieh soon oaihered 
round him, from the leper being socarelul 
to proclaim to all men the miracles which 
Jb.si's had wrought. 

Perhaps it may seem llrange that the 
blefled Jk.sus (hould be so careful to con- 
ceal his wonderous works, and be looked 
iij)on. in some measure, contrary to tlie 
end for which they were performed, which 
mufl certainly be to prove his divine mis- 
lion. But it may be observed that his 
modefty and humility would not allow his 
works to have the lead appearance of 
oftentation ; nor the Jews to have the leaft 
pretenee of accisfmg him of seeking his 
own glory, or aiming at popular ap- 
plause. 

And it may be supposed that our great 
Redeemer did not think it proper, at this 
time, to irritate the Scribes and Pharisees 
by the proclamation and publication of his 
miracles through the kingdom. He very 
well knew that at the appointed time they 
would perform whatever had been deter- 
mined concerning him in the counsels of 
heaven. In the mean time, he was to work 
the works of him that sent him, and pro- 
claim his gospel amongft mankind. This 
he knew could not be so conveniently 
performed if the fame of his miracles had 
roused the rage of his enemies, and excited 
their malice and envy to exert their ut- 
mofl power againft him. He likewise was 
senhble of the unruly humour of the mul- 
titude : they were convinced that he was 
the MefTiah ; they had no further views 
than a temporal reign ; and he might be 
apprehenhve that they would co77z^ by force 
and viakcliim king, if the fame of his mir- 
acles were blazed abroad before he had 
informed them of the spiritual nature of 
his kingdom. If such were his view^s, 
there was the greatefl neceffity to keep his 
miracles concealed as much as poffible. 
'i'he fame of his cleanfing the lafl leper 
had brought such numbers of people to 
Capernaum, that he was forced to retire 
into a solitary' retreat in the neighbouring 
desart: nor could he even in this retire- 
ment long enjoy the repose he sought ; 
for the people soon found out the place 



of his retreat, and flocked to him in great 
numbers from every part of the country. 

Our Lord finding his endeavours to 
conceal himself in the w^ilderness would 
be in vain, lie ordered his disciples to ac- 
company him to the other fide of the lake. 
A certain Scribe, who happened to be 
amongfl the company, declared that he 
would follow him whithersoever he went : 
Jesus, who well knew that his only defire 
was to gain the profits and honour of that 
temporal kingdom which he supposed the 
Mefhah would eflablifh, told him, that if 
he wanted nothing more than to advance 
and improve his worldly fortune, he would 
be greatly deceived ; for the bleffed Jesus 
informed this teacher of Israel, lliat the 
foxes have fwles, and the birds of the air 
have nefs, but the Son of man hath not 
where to lay his head. 

I'he Son of Man is a name by which 
the MefTiah is called in the prophecy of 
Daniel, where his wide and extenfive do- 
minion is described ; and therefore when 
this title is applied to our Lord, it hath 
reference to his human nature, and at the 
same time conveys an idea of that glorious 
kingdom to which his manhood will be ex- 
alted. But as it was also a name by which 
the old prophets were called by way of 
contempt, it is used in several places to 
express the deep humiliation of the Son 
of God. 

The disciples having provided a fhip, 
took their Mafter on board, and crofTed 
the lake, being followed by several boats 
full of people who were defirous of hear- 
ing his heavenly discourse, and seeing 
the wonderful works which he conftantly 
performed. Our Lord, being fatigued 
with the labour of the day, itW afleep in 
the fhip while fhe smoothly glided along 
the level seas. 

But soon the weather, which till now 
had been calm and serene, changed, black 
clouds covered the ikies, and the big fl(.rm 
burfl from the dark concave of heaven, 
the winds roared aloud, and the white 
foam appeared on the face of the waves ; 
the fhip could scarce bear the dafliing 
tides, which beat inceffantly againfl her; 
the darkness of the night increased the 

o 

horrors of tlie tempefl ; the waves began 
to break over the fhip, and fhe was in 
the utmoff danger of fmking, all hopes of 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



65 



being saved were loft, and in the agonies 
of despair the disciples ran to Jesus, 
crying, Majler, Majler, we perijh ! This 
piteous exclamation awaked him from his 
fleep, and raising that hand, so often em- 
ployed in afts of benevolence and mercy, 
he, with an awful all-commanding voice, 
rebuked the boifterous ocean. The ele- 
ments knew his voice ; the roaring winds 
forsook the seas ; and the foaming waves 
subfided. All was quiet, all was ftill, and 
the fhip smoothly cut the smiling deep, 
soon arriving at her deftined port. 

The disciples, before this, had seen our 
Lord perform many miracles, and had 
abundant reason to rely on his power and 
goodness. They had certainly no cause 
to be so much alfrighted, or to give way 
to such despair and terror : they might 
have conhdered, that the same divine 
person who had so often healed the fick, 
and had lately fhewn such power over 
the watry element, as to bring the filh to 
their nets, was equally able to ftay the 
wild waves, or to have preserved them 
alive, had the (hip sunk beneath them : 
but they seemed, in the hurry of mind con- 
sequent on the terrors of the ftorm, to 
have forgot the power of their Mafter, 
and therefore he gently rebuked them. 
Why are ye so fearful ^ How is it that ye 
have no faith? They ought to have 
remembered likewise, that the voyage was 
undertaken at his command, and it was 
not to be feared, that he would permit 
them to perilh : but when the terror of 
the ftorm, was over, they wondered at his 
power, and, though they frequently had 
occafion to remark the effefts of his hea- 
venly goodness, they exclaimed, What 
manner of man is this ! that even the winds 
and the sea obey him. 

Soon after the ftorm was ftilled, the 
fliip arrived in the country of Gadara ; 
and on their landing, two men pofleffed 
with devils, came to meet our Redeemer. 
They were both exceeding fierce, turbu- 
lent, and unruly ; but one of them was 
more furious than the other : this person 
had often been bound with chains and 
fetters, but all in vain, for his fetters were 
always broken with the greateft fury, so 
that no man attempted any longer to re- 
ftrain him ; being therefore at full liberty 
he fliunned all human society, and wan- 



dered day and night, in desert and dry 
places, and amongft the sepulchres and 
tombs, filling the filent repriitories of the 
dead, with the moil dismal and horrid 
bowlings, and sometimes tearing his flefh, 
and cutting himself with ftones. 

The disciples were very much alarmed 
and terrified at the approach of these 
horrid and furious beings, but Jesus soon 
quieted their apprehenfions of danger, by 
commanding the devils to come out of the 
men, while they were at some diftance. 
The heavenly command had no sooner 
pafted from the lips of our great Re- 
deemer, than the men fell on their faces 
crying, What have we to do with thee Jesus, 
thou Son of the mofi high God ? Art thou 
come hither to torment us before the time ? I 
adjure thee, by God, that thou torment us not. 
The infernal spirits were not ignorant of 
the power of the Son of God, and were 
afraid, that he would caft them immedi- 
ately into the torments prepared for them, 
and suffer them no longer to wander 
about the earth, which they seem to have 
hoped would be permitted them till the 
judgment of the great day. 

Jesus, being willing that the torment 
of these miserable men fhould be the 
more underftood, afked one of the dae- 
mons his name, who immediately answer- 
ed. My name is Legion, for we are many : 
at the same time, he humbly requefted, 
that our Lord would not immediately caft 
them into the ultimate torments prepared 
for them in the great deep of bottomless 
perdition, but would permit them to enter 
into an herd of swine, then feeding on a 
neighbouring mountain. 

The grand deceiver of mankind, no 
doubt, beheld with gnawing envy, the 
effefts of our Redeemer's power and 
goodness ; and to abate the opinion which 
the inhabitants of Gadara might form of 
him, and make him odious in their view, 
seems to be the reason of his petition to 
enter into the swine ; for doubtless, the 
Devil knew, that if his legion could gain 
this permiflion, it would be in their power 
to deftroy them ; but though his secret 
defigns could not be hid from the Saviour 
of the world, yet our Lord was pleased 
to grant to the fiend, the permiflion he 
defired : perhaps this might be complied 
withj to give the disciples a full proof that 



LIFE OF JE 



S U S CHRIST 



tlicsc poisons were vcallv poilcilcd witli 
devils, ami to give a terrible inllancc ot tlu' 
power ot these malieious beings when free 
from redranit. 

The ee»ininilhon was no sooner granted, 
tlian I he devils forsook the men, and, 
swift as lightning, seized their brifUv prey. 
The whole herd were immediately in a 
tumult, and the torments the poor ereatures 
suttered, were plainly perceived by the 
speftators at a diflanee; the keepers were 
atirighted, and found it impoHible to calm 
or rellrain the wild f ury of the lierd ; they 
poun d, with amazing rapidity, down the 
mountain's fide, and approaching the con- 
lines of the lake, leaped from the rocks 
and precipices into the sea, and the w-hole 
herd perijhcd in the waters. The persons, 
who but a moment before, were roaring, 
raving, and cutting themselves, were now 
become calm and composed ; they were 
become mild and gentle, having reco- 
vered the use of their reason, and beincr 
now proper members of society, they, 
doubtless, believed in the Son of God. 

The keepers of the herd, aftoniihed at 
this surprifing event, ran into the city, in 
the uimoft terror and amazement, and 
related the cure of the men who had 
been ponefied with devils, and the de- 
ftru6lion of the swine. This wonderful 
report, threw the whole city into the ut- 
moft confternation, and the inhabitants, 
in crowds, left their houses, to be spec- 
tators of the itrange event. They saw 
the men fitting at the feet of Jesus, and in 
their right minds ; but, as they were 
conscious of having committed a trespass 
againd the law of Moses, by keeping such 
numbers of swine, which were ftriaiy 
lorhid to be eaten, they v;ere afraid, and 
seemed to expeft some severer judgment : 
they might have been convinced of the 
goodness and compafhon of the great 
person who had performed these wonders, 
by the cure of the men; but they were 
afraid, and meekly besought our Lord to 
depart from their country. 

The ftupid Gadarencs, had they known 
how great a benefit they might have re- 
ceived by attending on the illuflrious per- 
son who had worked such wonders amongfl 
them, would not have been so cruel to 
themselves, as to have presented such a 
petition. It is true they had If (l their 



swine, but had received two of their 
countrymen and fellow'-creatures ; these 
haj)py men were delivered from the power 
of the Devil, and their country was freed 
f rom so intolerable a burden ; and the 
benefit tliey might have received to their 
souls, by attending on our great Redeem- 
er, and hearing his words, would have 
been of greater value than the cattle on a 
thousand hills. 

The blelTed Jesus, however, thought fit 
to comply with the requefl of the loolifh 
Gadarencs, and soon returned to the 
country from whence he came. The 
persons who were happily delivered from 
the power of the Devil, defired to accom- 
pany him, but our Lord ordered them to 
remain in their own country, as a ftanding 
inonument of his divine power and good- 
ness : Go home to thy Jriends, said our 
exalted Redeemer to one of them, and 
tell them how great things the Lord hath 
done for thee, and hath had companion on 
thee. 

It may be remarked on this miracle, 
that here we have a fuller display of 
the tyranny and power of the Devil, than 
in any other part of Scripture ; and there- 
fore it is fit to be recommended to the 
serious attention of those infidels, who, 
like the Sadducees, will not believe in the 
exiftence of spirits, and scofi at the power 
of the devil. Let such persons behold 
the pi61ure of these unhappy men, poffefr- 
ed by the devils, as drawn by the evan- 
gelifts : they were driven f rom their abodes, 
and from the society of men ; one of them 
was so fierce that he could not be con- 
fined, but broke chains of iron like a 
burnt thread, and fetters like rotten wood ; 
he frequented the moft solitary places, and 
filled the desert with more dreadful how- 
lings, than the wild beafis ; he dwelt 
amongft the tombs, and abode in the dis- 
mal and solitary manfions of the dead, 
forlorn and naked, crying out day and 
night, cutting himself with ftoncs, and 
tearing his own flefh. 

If such ])crsons would give themselves 
time to confider this dreadful representa- 
tion of human misery, surely their scoffs 
would be changed into compaffion lor 
these unhappy creatures, and fearful ap- 
prehciifions for themselves: surely they 
I v.'ould no longer scoff at the power of the ' 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



57 



Devil, nor the pains of eternal damnation. 
It would certainly be more worthy the 
superior wisdom they boaft of, to be cau- 
tious and diffident ; they are men, and 
surely they will allow, that it is polTible 
they may be miftaken : and when their 
eternal intereft is at (lake, one would think 
they might condescend to confider. But 
if they will deride, and ftill perfift in their 
unbelief, a fhort space of time will con- 
vince them of their fatal error ; and dread- 
ful experience, force them to confess the 
greatness of the tyranny, and the bitter- 
ness of the malice, of this prince of dark- 
ness againfl: the souls of men. May they 
see the error of their conduft, and be 
enabled, by the Divine Spirit, fincerely 
to repent of their evil thoughts, and per- 
verse ways, and seek the things which be- 
long to their eternal peace. 

The bleffed Jesus, with his disciples, 
being landed in Galilee, he soon repaired 
to Capernaum ; no sooner was his arrival 
known, than great multitudes resorted to 
him ; the house where he was could not 
contain them, nor even the court before 
the door. He preached the doflrines and 
duties of his gospel to the liftening throng, 
amongfl whom were many Pharisees and 
dodors of the law, whom the fame of his 
miracles had brought from diflant coun- 
tries, to behold his person, and hear his 
words. 

He not only, by his preaching, repre- 
sented the great precepts and principles 
of his religion, in a plain and ftriking 
point of light, but worked such miracles 
amongft them, as were sufficient to con- 
vince every judicious, unprejudiced, and 
impartial inquirer after truth, of his divine 
miffion ; and he proved himself to be the 
Son of God, by those illuftrious and be- 
nevolent aftions, which God only could 
perform. 

Amongft many other inftances of his 
almighty power and Godlike benevolence, 
was that of his reftoring a person to per- 
fe6l health, who had long been afflifted 
with the palsy, and was reduced by that 
deplorable disorder, to the mcft melan- 
choly and diftressful condition : he was 
unable to move any member of his body, 
and was become an helpless bundle of 
misery and diftress. In this deplorable 
condition, he was carried in his bed, with 
No. 3. 



deiign to have petitioned our Lord to lake 
pity on his diftress, and exert that healing 
power, for v/hich he was so remarkable in 
his relief The multitudes who surrounded 
our Lord, had filled the house, and preffed 
so close, that it was impoffible to bring the 
fick person into his presence. The per- 
sons that carried this miserable objeft, 
perceiving the difficulty which attended 
their defign, took the lame man to the top 
of the house lying in his bed. The houses 
in Judea had flat roofs, with battlements 
round them, according to the command 
of the law, Deut. xxii. 8. on these roofs 
there was a kind of trap-door, by which 
they came up from the house upon the 
roof, where they spent a conhderable part 
of the day. It was also common to have 
a flight of ftairs from the garden to the roof 
of the house, by which the persons who 
carried the fick muft be supposed to have 
ascended. When they came to the roof, 
they found the door ffiut : but being re- 
solved, if poffible, to compass their defign, 
they uncovered the roof, and by ropes let 
down the fick of the palsy lying on his bed^ 
into the midft of the company before 
Jesus. Our Redeemer seeing the faith 
of the friends of the afflifted person, had 
compaffion on him, and spake aloud. 
Son, be of good cheer, thy fins are forgiven 
thee. 

These words gave great offence to the 
Scribes and Pharisees, who said in their 
hearts. This man speaketh blasphemy ; for he 
takes to himself that which belongs only to 
his Maker. Who can forgive fns but God, 
only ? They were ignorant of the high 
dignity of the person who pronounced the 
words, and they murmured againft him in 
their hearts. But Jesus, who knew what 
paffed in the inmoft receffes of their minds, 
was willing to let them underftand that he 
was endued with the Spirit of God ; and to 
convince them that he knew their thoughts, 
he said unto them. Why think ye evil in 
your hearts ? For whether is it eafer to say 
to the fck of the palsy, Thy fns be forgiven 
thee, or to say. Arise, take up thy bed and 
zoalk ? By these words our Lord might 
have convinced them that he had really 
a right to forgive fins ; for certainly it 
muft be eafier to forgive fins, than to 
remove the puniffiment which is inflicled on 
men for fin. As therefore it was apparent 
P 



58 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



our Lord had power to perform the latter, 
why lluniKl it be (|uelhoned whether he 
had a right to pronounee the former; but 
tliese haughty teachers of Israel eheriflied 
a gloomy rancour iu their hearts, and, 
frowning, luhl their peace. Our Lord 
then turned to the diseased person, and 
said. Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto 
tiling house. 

No sooner had our great Redeemer 
spoken these words, than the diseased per- 
son was perfectly rellored to his former 
health and flrength ; and, to the aflonifh- 
ment of the surroundin"; multitude, arose, 
took up his bed, and departed to his own 
liouse. praihng and glorifying God ; while 
the affetled beholders, with the higheil 
acclamations, joined the praise, and glo- 
rified the God of Israel, who had given such 
power unto man ; but the Scribes and 
Pharisees, however confounded they were 
at the miracle, flill perfifled in their un- 
belief: an inifance which fliould fill us 
with the mofl serious thoughts, as it de- 
monflrates that the pride of heart, which 
produces an haughty self-sufficiency, and 
generates an obflinate and determined 
liatred and oppohtion to the truth, and by 
suspending and ffupifying all the noble 
powers of the soul, operates like the palsy 
of the mind, is a much more dreadf ul 
and deplorable disease than the palsy of 
the body. 

Our adorable Redeemer having per- 
formed this miracle, he departed to the 
sea-fide ; and a multitude of people gather- 
ing about him, he made use of the 
favourable opportunity to enlighten their 
dark minds with the rays of heavenly truth. 
What were the particular points he infifled 
on, or what mode of inftru^lion he chose, 
the evangehffs have not informed us ; but 
we may safely conclude that these dis- 
courses, like the refl delivered by this 
divine person, were worthy of God and 
advantageous to man. 

Our bkffed Saviour having finifhed his 
discourse, he returned to the city of Caper- 
naum, and going by the keys where the 
goods which were brought f)y sea from va- 
rious nations were landed, he saw Matthew, 
a rich publican, fitting in his office to re- 
ceive the cufkms; Matthew is sometimes 
in the gospels called Levi, and was the son 
of Alpheus. Christ no sooner saw him 



than he called him. Follow me, was his 
mild and gracious language ; which the 
heavenly Teacher had no sooner spoken, 
than the wealthy publican felt a divine 
power warm his heart, which overpower- 
ing every worldly confideration, he seems 
to have left his accounts all unfinifhcd, 
and immediately obeyed. He soon, by 
our great Redeemer, was lead into a more 
honourable and important employment, 
and afterwards became an evangelifl, as 
well as an apoflle. 

A few days after this, the new called 
publican made a great entertainment, to 
which he, with Christ and his disciples, 
invited several of his own profelhon ; no 
doubt hoping that his heavenly conversa- 
tion might firike their hard hearts with 
remorse for their wickedness and extortion, 
and lead them to true repentance, and 
amendment of life. But the haughty self- 
conceited Scribes and Pharisees, who 
concluded all men vile and finful in compa- 
rison with themselves, and bore a particu- 
lar hatred to the publicans above all others, 
were highly offended that a person who 
claimed the high dignity of a prophet, and 
a teacher sent from God, fhould so far 
demean himself as to be seen in such 
company as this. They carried their re- 
sentment so f ar, as, with an air of insolence 
and contempt, to afk tlie disciples of 
Christ how their Mafler could fit at the 
same table with publicans and finners ? To 
this insulting queftion our Lord immedi- 
ately replied, that those who conceited 
themselves so righteous that they needed 
no forgiveness, and so wise that they 
needed no inflru6lion, were not the persons 
who were likely to receive benefit by his 
conversation ; as it is not the healthy, but 
the fick, which fland in need of the 
phyfician. The Scribes and Pharisees, by 
their pride and haughty self-sufficiency, 
and by oppofing and rehfling the method 
in which only the great King of the uni- 
verse had determined to have mercy on his 
fallen creatures, had put themselves out of 
the way of receiving benefit from the Re- 
deemer of mankind ; and therefore Christ 
reminds them, that in the gospel dispen- 
sation God will have viercy, and not sacri- 
fice ; and as those who confefled them- 
selves hnners were the only proper objefts 
of that mercy, our Lord declared that he 

\ 



AND LR'ES or 



HIS APOSTLES. 



59 



was not COTM to call the righteous, but Jin- 
ners to repentance ; and to blame him for 
converfing with publicans and fmners was 
as great a piece of absurdity as to blame a 
phyfician for vifiting the Tick. This einswer 
from the great Friend and Redeemer of 
loft Tinners, was far from satisfying the 
haughty self-conceited Scribes and Phari- 
sees : and as they made great oftentation 
of their faftingr and abftinence, they took 
this opportunity to give themselves con- 
sequence on that account ; and joining 
with John's disciples, presumed to blame 
our great Redeemer because his disciples 
were not so frequent m this practice as 
themselves. To this our Lord replied, 
that the present was not a time for fafting. 
for his disciples need not faft and mourn 
in the presence of their Mafter, any more 
than the friends of the bridegroom need 



faft and afflicl themselves while they en- 
joyed his company. But, said he, the day 
xjcill come, when the bridegroom zlHI be 
taken azvay from them, and then they Jhall 
fajl. Intimating by this, that the calam- 
ities, troubles, and afflictions which they 
would suffer after the death of their Mafter, 
would oblige them to faft and mourn ; 
but the corrupt nature of man, which was 
the cause of his coming into the world, 
required diff^erent treatment ; the rent 
would not be patched up with mortifica- 
tion, 'fafting, or any external perform- 
ances ; such treatment as this would be 
like sewing a piece of new cloth on an old 
rotten garment, which would only make 
the rent worse, or putting new wine into 
old leather bottles, which would burft as 
soon as the liquor fermented. 



CHAPTER XIII. 



Christ healeth a Woman of an inveterate IJpxe of Blood ; Raises Jiriuis daughter 
from the dead : Gives sight to two blind Men : Delivers a poffeffed Person from the 
evil Spirit : Arid, returning to Galilee, chooses his tv:elve ApoftLes out of his Disciples : 
Then, repairing to Capernaum, cures the Centurions Servant. 



WHILE the bleiTed Je sus was dis- 
puting with the Scribes and Pha- 
risees in the house of Matthew, whom he 
had lately called into the number of his 
disciples, an afflicted father, in all the 
agonies of diftress, haftily prefted into his 
presence. This was Jarius, the ruler of the 
Jewifh synagogue in Capernaum, and the 
cause of his present affliction was the dan- 
gerous illness of his daughter, who lay at 
the point of death. 

Havmg earneftjy implored the affiftance 
of our great Redeemer in this diftreffing 
case, the Lord of life gracioufly conde"^ 
scended to comply with his requeft, and 
accordingly accompanied the diftrefl'ed 
father to his house : and great multitudes 
of people, who were defirous of beholding 
the miracles of Chrift, crowded around and 
prefFed to behold what the divine Inftruclor 
would do on this great occafion. 

But as they pafted through the ftreets of 
the city, the attention of the surroundinc^ 



multitudes were turned to a vroman, who 
came behind the Son of God, and touched 
the hem of his garment. This woman had 
been afflicted twelve years with a terrible 
disorder, which had baffled the force of 
medicine. She had spent her whole sub- 
ftance on phvlicians, but could obtain no 
relief ; but hearing of the miracles per- 
formed by the bleffed Jesus, (he was so 
fully convinced of his divine power, that 
fhe concluded if fhe could but touch his 
clothes fhe ftiould be made whole. Xor 
was fhe deceived, for fhe no sooner touched 
the border of the garment of our great Re- 
deemer than her iflue of blood dried up ; 
and ftie felt such a flow of vital spirits, and 
uncommon gladness warm her heart, that 
fhe was fully convinced that fhe had re- 
ceived a cure. 

The bleffed Jesus, v;hoknew the hearts 
of all men, was not ig-norant of the min- 
uteft circumftance attending this affair; 
he knew the woman's thoughts, and was 



Go 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



pleased \^-ith her faitli ; and, \viili dcfign 
to be^in a conversation in which he miirht 
tcdilv liis aj)probation, lie turned about 
and alked who touched liini P His disciples, 
as Uu \ were not apprised of the transaction, 
womlered at their Mailer's quell ion. 77iou 
sl'cJ}, said they, the multitude thronging 
and p^'(//ing thee, and saycjl thou, zvho 
touched me !^ Jf.sus, however, perfifted in 
the inquiry, and the woman, perceiving 
fhe could not be concealed, came to him 
tremblincr, and told him what Ihe had done. 
She approached him with hefitation and 
diHidence, fearing; he would be oflended 
at the liberty Ihe had taken ; but the divine 
Phyfician received her with condescending 
goodness, spake to her in the kindeft man- 
ner, and commended her faith ; Daughter, 
said he, be of good comjort, thy faith hath 
made the xdiole. 

In the midll of the surprise occalioned 
by this miracle, a meflcnger approached 
from Jarius's house, and informed him that 
his dauahter was dead, so that he need not 
give our Lord the trouble to come any 
further ; for they supposed it far beyond 
the power of this extraordinary person to 
overcome the mighty conqueror, Death, or 
recall the fleeting spirit from the eternal 
world. This meiTage was received by the 
affectionate parent with the llrongeft 
emotions of sorrow, and bittereft agonies 
of diHress. Our Lord took compaffion 
on him, and defired him to be comforted 
with hopes that his daughter Ihould be 
redo red. 

When our great Redeemer came to the 
ruler's house, he found it lull of mourners, 
who made great lamentation, and were 
preparing for the funeral. Our Lord 
commanded them to cease their prepara- 
tions ; for, said he, the maid is not dead but 
fee/jeth : and they laughed him to scorn. 
1'hese words of Christ were used with 
peculiar propriety, to denote that it was 
determined the virgin Ihould not continue 
in ^he cold embraces of death, but fhould 
iiiftantly be rellored to her friends, as one 
awakened out of ileep ; and having thus 
.spoken, our Lord approached the apart- 
ment of the dead, taking with him none but 
Peter, James, anfl John, except the father 
and mother of the maiden : then laying 
hold of the cold hand of the dead virgin, 
he said with a gentle voice, Maid, arise ! 



The heavenly voice was immediately 
obeyed, and the damsel arose, frefli as 
from a sound Ileep, all healthful and vigo- 
rous ; and Jiisus commanded to give her 
something to cat. 

Thus the great Son of God gave a full 
and clear manifeilation of his heavenly 
power ; and not only proved that he was 
the true Melliah, but gave a clear demon- 
ih ation of the pollibility of the resurre6lion 
of the dead : and those who have imbibed 
the absurd opinion of the soul's fleeping 
with the body till the resurreflion, would 
do well to conlider the exprelfion of the 
evangelift, Her spirit came again, Luke 
viii, 55 : by which it appears that the soul 
exifts in a ftate of separation, when the 
body lies all cold and breathless in the dark 
chambers of the grave. 

Having performed this great and bene- 
volent miracle, our blelTed Saviour left the 
ruler's house ; and going through the ilreets 
of the city, he was followed by two blind 
men ; they had, doubtless, heard of the 
great miracle which he had juft performed, 
and supplicated his alTiflance in their pres- 
ent deplorable circumftances, well knowing 
that he was able to reftore them to fight. 
The benevolent Saviour of finners con- 
descended to favour their requefl ; and 
having entered an house to escape the 
crowdincT of the multitude, he touched 
their eyes, and said. According unto your 
faith, be it unto you; when immediately 
the great and defirable blelTing of fight was 
rellored unto them ; the sacred beams of 
all-chearing day revifitcd their eyes, and 
filled their hearts with gladness, and their 
tongues with praise ; and such a flood of 
gratitude and joy overflowed their hearts, 
that they could not conceal their mirac- 
ulous refloration to fight, though our Lord 
required them to keep filence, but pub- 
lifhed our Redeemer's fame and their own 
happy condition, through every part of the 
country. 

The men who had thus miraculoufly 
received their fight being departed, the 
multitude brought to the benevolent Sa- 
viour of Sinners a dumb man, p(')ffefred 
with a devil. So afle6ling a case attrafled 
the compalhonate regard of the blefled 
Jesus, who immediately call, out the foul 
spirit. The dumb man inflantly recovered 
the use of speech, and spake in so senfible 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



6i 



and satis fa6lory a manner, that the whole 
multitude was amazed, and, with united 
voice, declared that such wonderous works 
were never wrought by the great and 
mod eminent of the ancient prophets. It 
was, said they, nevsr so seen in Israel. 

The Pharisees, whose herrts were full 
of infernal rancour, and whose pride and 
prejudice prevented their receiving in- 
ftruftion from the discourses, or convic- 
tion from the miracles of our great Re- 
deemer, beheld the miracle now perform- 
ed with a scornful sneer, and put the moft 
invidious conftruftion upon it, that could 
poffibly enter into the heart of man : He 
cajleth out devils, said they, through the 
prince of the devils. The bleffed Jesus, 
seems, at this time, to have taken no no- 
tice of this calumny : \)\xt leaving the 
haughty, self-conceited doftors, under the 
dominion of their blindness, and prejudice, 
he proceeded in the prosecution of the 
duties of his milTion, and exerted himself 
more and more in the great work of pro- 
moting the cause of truth, and enlighten- 
ing and inftrufting mankind. According- 
ly leaving Capernaum, he took a tour 
through the adjacent country, bringing 
happiness and peace to the sons of misery 
and diftress, vijiting all the cities and villa- 
ges, teaching in their synagogues, and 
preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and 
healing every fckness, and every disease 
among ft the people. 

At his return to Galilee, he was sur- 
rounded by vaft multitudes of people who 
expreffed an earneft defire to hear his 
inftru6lions, and learn the way of truth, 
and happiness from his lips. This tradable 
dispofition of mind engaged the attention 
of the great Redeemer of hnners, and 
filled his heart with compalTion for them, 
in their present deplorable ftate of blind- 
ness and ignorance, and excited him to 
exert his divine power for their relief 
Indeed the ftate of the Jewilh nation at 
this time was worthy of compalTion ; for, 
with respeft to spiritual things, the com- 
mon people might juftly be compared to 
Iheep without a fliepherd. The Scribes, 
Pharisees, and lawyers, who ought to have 
inftrufted them, were blind, lazy guides, 
and their teaching tended rather to lead 
them afide from the paths of truth and 
righteousness, tiian to afford them any real | 
No. Q. 



advantage : their teaching tended rather 
to magnify and exalt themselves, than 
promote the knowledge or worfhip of 
their Maker ; and to encourage a scru- 
pulous exaftness in external ceremonial 
performances, rather than promote the 
cause of truth, purity, and virtue. In this 
dark and forlorn condition, our Lord 
had compaffion on the multitude, and, in 
his divine wisdom and benevolence, pro- 
ceeded to take proper measures for their 
relief, He always regarded the seed of 
Israel with peculiar affeftion ; and as they 
were wandering on the dark mountains of 
error and superftition, without any to re- 
ftrain their wanderings, or teach their 
fteps to find the way of peace, he re- 
commended their case to his disciples, 
and commanded them to approach the 
throne of God, with earneft prayers in 
their behalf ; The harvejl, said he, truly 
is plenteous, but the labourers are few; 
pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvef, 
that he will send forth labourers into his 
harvejl. 

Nor did our great Redeemer recom- 
mend this affefting case to his disciples, 
without employing his own moft powerful 
interceflion with his heavenly Father; 
for he ascended a mountain, and con- 
tinued all night in prayer to God. Having 
spent the night in earneft supplication, 
the morning no sooner returned, than he 
set about the important taflc of divine 
inftruftion. To this end, he chose twelve 
out of the number of his disciples, and 
named them apoftles, to be always with 
him, and thai he might send them forth to 
preach, These were Simon Peter, and 
Andrew, his brother ; James, the son of 
Zebedee, and John, his brother ; Philip, 
and Bartholomew ; Thomas, and Mat- 
thew ; James, the son of Alpheus, and 
Lebbeus, whose surname was Thaddcus ; 
Simeon the Canaanite and Judas Iscariot. 

These twelve having been conftant at- 
tendants on our Lord, having learnt his 
heavenly dcftrine, and seen his wondercus 
works, and being fully qualified to preach 
to the world, those divine truths, which 
themselves had received, were sent out to 
preach the gospel of the kingdom ; but 
commanded not to enter into any city 
of the Samaritans, or of the Gentiles, but 
confine themselves to the land of Israel. 
O 



62 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



and to proclaim through the nation, that 
ihd kingdom of heaven is at hand. Tliey 
V'ere also provided with miraculous power 
to pro\c the truth of" their do6lrine, and 
maiiiiell to the world, that they came 
Iroin God, and were commanded to exert 
those divine powers with unremitting ard- 
our, lor the advantage of mankind. The 
command of then- divine Mailer wa;> to 
heal the fick ; cleanse the lepers ; raise the 
dead; cast out devils : freely, said lie, ye 
have received, freely give. And that they 
might be senlible of the care of their 
hea\enly Father, over the mofl minute 
circunillances which concerned them, they 
were enjoined to make no provifion for 
their journey, nor take any care about 
temporal things : Provide, said their di- 
vine Mailer, neither gold nor brass in your 
■purses, nor scrip for your journey, neither 
two coats, nor fioes, neither yet faves; 
for the workman is zvorthy of his meat. 

Probably the apoftles, knowing that 
the whole Jewifh nation was elated with 
the apprehenfion of the appearance of 
the M^ ffiah, and the high expeftations 
they had formed of his setting up a tem- 
poral kingdom, might expeft to be re- 
ceived with honour and elleem by their 
countrymen, as they were going to pub- 
lilh the speedy approach of that kingdom 
which they so ardently dehred, and to 
work such miracles, as might convince 
them that their declaration was true : 
but their Mafter informed them, that the 
event, in this case, would not be answer- 
able to their expeftation ; for, inflead of 
bcmg careffed and honoured by their 
countrymen, he affured them, they fhould 
meet with derifion and contempt : he in- 
formed them that they fhould be despised 
and persecuted, delivered to the rulers, 
and punifhed as wicked men. But, at 
the same time, he promised them the 
condant protection and afhflance of his 
heavenly Father, and gave them minute 
and particular inflru6tions for their be- 
haviour on every occafion ; and let them 
know, that whoever rejected them and 
their mcfTage, fhould be rejc61ed, and 
treated with indignation and scorn, by the 
great judge of the world: but those who 
received them with kindness, attended to 
their preaching, and received it with 
honefl)- and openness of mind, kindly con- 



tributing to their support, though they gave 
but a cup of cold water to the leafl of his 
disciples, fhould not fail of receiving a 
large reward. 

The apoflles having received this com- 
miflion, vihted all parts of the country, 
preaching the dofclrine of repentance, 
and proclaiming the kingdom of the 
Meffiah at hand. They confirmed the 
truth of their declarations, by working of 
miracles, healing the hck, and perform^ 
ing every great work which was worthy 
their Mafter's cause, and neceffary to pre- 
pare the minds of mankind to receive 
him ; while our great Redeemer continued 
the course of his miniflry in Galilee, and, 
by the divine eloquence of his preaching,^ 
and the wonders he wrought, proved hij^- 
self" to be the Son of God. 

In the eye of worldly wisdom, it muff 
seem a very foolilh and unpopular alten:pt, 
to send a parcel of illiterate, despised Gali- 
leans to reform the world : how was it pos- 
fible, that such persons as these, fliould con- 
found the wisdom of the wise, and baffle 
the power of the mighty ? How was it 
pofTible, that they fhould overturn the 
many false religions which then flourifhed 
in the world, which were supported by 
civil government, and had eflablifhed 
themselves by long-continuance, were 
deep rooted in the human heart, and main- 
tained by the paffions, prejudices, and 
intereft of mankind. Had human pru- 
dence direfted to the choice of persons 
to be employed on this great occafion, 
they doubtless would have been men of 
great learning, superior eloquence, and 
pofleffed of every art of persuafion and 
address. But the wisdom of God floops 
not to be direfted by the wisdom of man ; 
his ways are not as our ways, nor his 
thoughts as our thoughts, When his glo- 
rious gospel was sent to enlighten and ' 
enrich the world, this divine treasure was 
committed to earthen veffels, that the 
excellency of the power might appear to 
be of God : accordinly, it appeared that 
the religion which these iUiterate fifhcr- 
men, those despised Galileans publifhed 
through the world, was far superior, was 
more worthv of God, and benehciai to 
man, than the acutefl reasonings, or the 
sublimefl flrains of the Greek and Roman 
philosophers and poets, tliough they were 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



63 



furnifhed with all the ftores of human 
literature, and spent their whole time in 
ftudy and contemplation. Hence, it is _ 
raanifeft, that the glorious gospel of God, | 
by it's noble iimplicity, by it's own intrin- 
fic dignity and worth, as well as by the 
miraculous power which attended it, and I 
the heavenly glory which fhone around it, I 
proved itself to be wholly original and 
divine. 

Nor was the success which attended 
the attempts of these weak and dispised 
inftruments, wanting to prove the divine 
original of the doftrine they taught ; while 
the tenets of the philosophers were con- 
fined to their respeftive schools, the glo- 
rious gospel spread over the world, and 
was received in every country, and by 
men of every ftation ; it was received by 
the bulk of mankind, with the higheft sat- 
isfaftion, and sublimeft joy : as something 
neceflary to their supreme good, which 
hitherto they had been seeking in vain. It 
was, therefore, the higheft wisdom which 
conduced the propagation of the gospel, 
and made use of such low and contempt- 
ible persons ; for hence, it plainly appear- 
ed, that these noble truths were not of 
human invention, but were the produftion 
of Infinite Wisdom, and were firft ad- 
vanced, and are ftill supported, by the 
mighty power of God. 

Alter our great Redeemer had appoint- 
ed his twelve apoftles, he came down from 
the mountain, and was joyfully received 
by multitudes of people, who were wait- 
ing for him in the plain : and such was the 
heavenly virtue which attended and sur- 
rounded him, that whoever touched the 
border of «his garment, was healed of his 
disease. This is sufficient to account for 
the great numbers of people which daily 
followed this illuftrious person, who crowd- 
ed around him, wherever he went, and 
accompanied him to the remoteft part of 
the wilderness of Judea : nor was it only 
the vulgar and neceffitous that pursued our 
Redeemer's fteps wheresoever he went, but 
persons of high rank and character, came 
from the remoteft parts to converse with 
him, hear his divine doftrine, and be spec- 
tators of his wonderous works, and parta- 
kers of the benefits resulting from them. 

After healing the fick amongft the 
multitude, he proceeded to inftru6l them, 



and delivered a divine discourse, in sub- 
ftance nearly the same as that which he 
before preached from the mountain : the 
chief difference in these discourses, is the 
threatenings which are here denounced 
againft particular fmners, whereas the 
discourse recorded by St. Matthew, con- 
tains only bleffmgs. It may not be amiss, 
briefly to confider these maledictions, as 
a large paraphrase hath been given on the 
former sermon. 

Wo unto you that are rich, said our 
exalted Saviour, for you have received your 
consolation. Riches in this world, are no 
evidence of the love of God, but are fre- 
quently beftowed on the worft of men : 
they are not beftowed upon any as a re- 
ward for superior degrees of moral good- 
ness, but are diftributed by the great Go- 
vernor of the universe, so as to answer 
the wise ends of his own government, 
and bring about his great defigns : they 
have no tendency to promote the beft 
intereft of man, but are frequently made 
use of by the worft of men, to the 
worft of purposes, and enable them to be 
more extenfively and desperately wicked : 
they are frequently a snare to the truly 
religious, and have a natural tendency to 
pervert the affeftions, and corrupt the 
heart. It requires great grace to keep 
them from degrading the soul ; and gene- 
rating a low, mean, worldly spirit ; for, 
wherever the natural course and tendency 
of riches prevail, it will always remain 
an eternal truth, that it is eajicr for a 
camel to pass through the eye of a needle, 
than for a rich man to enter into the 
kingdom of God, 

V/o unto you that laugh, for ye Jhall 
mourn and -weep. It is not a joyful^ 
cheerful, thankful, frame of spirit, which 
our Lord here exclaims againft, but a 
foolifh, trifling, levity of mind. The gos- 
pel of Christ, is particularly calculated 
to inspire^a conftant cheerfulness of temp- 
er, and Chriftians are commanded always 
to rejoice ; the affurance they have of re- 
conciliation with God, the lively hope of 
everlaftinglife, the conftant pleasure which 
they find in communion with God, and 
the contemplation on heavenly things, 
tend to fill the mind with solid satisfaftion 
and subftantial joy. This joy will be 
conftantly increafing, as Chriftians advance 



6.1 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



in the divine life, and will be fully coiii- 
pleied in the eternal world : but those 
giddv, gav sallies ol nurth, and the 
thoughtless dilhpation ot mind which 
arises from an innn(^deraie love of vain 
amusement and sensual pleasure, that 
gives no time lor conhderaiion, but scat- 
ters serious thoughts, and creates an utter 
averfion to sober rcHetlion, will soon lead 
the soul into such a labyrinth ol wretch- 
edness and wo, that they (hall then mourn 
and weep. This will certainly be their 
lot in this world, when their vain, delufive 
gratifications can please no more ; and it 
will eternally be their lot, when ihcy will 
be deprived of" every gleam of hope and 
comfort, and configned to the dark re- 
gions of sorrow and despair, zv/ierc will be 
weeping and gnajliing of teeth. 

But our great Redeemer added, Wo 
unto you zchcn all men speak zcell of you, 
for so did their fathers of the false pro- 
phets. This malcdiftion of our blefTed Sa- 
viour, is denounced againfl: those teachers 
who, for fear of oflending men, ihall 
keep back the truth of God, and fear to 
proclaim the unpopular and humbling 
truths of the gosptrl, which are so mor- 
tifying to human pride ; and by flattering 
the vices, and humouring the pride and 
pafTions of men, fhall gain their com- 
mendation and applause. Such teachers as 
these, are compared to the false prophets 
of old, who, by humouring the vanity 
and flattering the pride of princes and 
great men, were more carefied and 
attended to than the true prophets of 
God. 

When our sreat Redeemer had finiflied 
this discourse, he departed to Capernaum, 
and vras met by some meffengers from 
a centurion, who defired him to come and 
heal a servant whom he highly efleemed, 
that was fick, and in danger of death. 
This Cv nturion, from the chara61er given 
him by the evangclift, seems to have 
been a proselyte to the Jev.ilTi religion. 
The inhabitants of Capernaum spake much 
in his favour, and flrongly recommended 



! his case ; for they said, that he was a lover 
of their nation, and had built them a syna- 
gogue. The great Saviour of mankind, 
who went about doing good, gracicufly 
attended to the petition, and readily ac- 
companied the meflengers ; but before he 
arrived at the house, he was met by a 
party of the centurion's friends, who ex- 
prefled the high conception which that 
officer had of the divine power of our 
Redeemer, and defired he would not give 
himself the trouble of a personal attend- 
ance, as his word would be abundantly 
suHieient to accomplifh the cure. Our 
Lord was pleased with the mcffage, and 
turning to the sj)(-6laiors, said, I have not 

found so great faith, no, 7iot in Israel, 
Luke vii. 9. The persons having delivered 
their meflage, returned to the centurion's 
house, and found the fick person perleftly 
reccn'ered. 

There are several circumftances attend- 
ing this miracle, and that related by St. 
Matthew, proves that this centurion w^as 
not the same person. The centurion 
mentioned by St. Matthew, attended on 
Christ in person ; him whose case is lad 
related, presented his petition by the 
elders of Capernaum. It does not appear 
that the former centurion was a proselyte 
to the Jewifli religion ; but we find a very 
high chara6ler given of the latter: these, 
and several other particulars which might 
have been mentioned, prove that this mi- 
racle ought to be confidered separate from 
the former. 

This miracle being performed, our Lord 
repaired to the house of Peter, to eat 
bread ; the place of his refidence could 
not be concealed ; great multitudes of 
people surrounded the house ; some, no 
doubt, defiring to behold the wonders 
which he wrought, and others, to be par- 
takers of the benefit resulting from them; 
they continued there some time, advancing 
their respeftive claims, in a tumultuous 
manner, and it was with difKculty they 
were persuaded 10 disperse. 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 
CHAPTER XIV. 



Christ retires to Kain, a City of Galilee, -where he raises a Widows only Son 
from the Dead : He receives Messengers from John the Baptist, and gives his Testi- 
mony concerning him : After xvhich he dines vcith Simon the Leper, uhere he is an- 
nointed by Mary, whose Affection he acknowledges and rewards. 



WHILE the apoftles were proceed- 
ing through the several cities of 
Tudea. executing; the commifTion of their 
Divine Mailer, our great Redeemer was 
carr)'ing on the work of his mifTion in 
Gahlee ; and when they had returned to 
our Lord, they accompanied him and his 
disciples to Nain, a city near mount Ta- 
bor, where he was followed by a great 
multitude of people. On their approach- 
ing the gate of the city, a scene of the moft 
affefting afFliclion and diftress presented 
itself to their view ; Behold, there was a 
dead man carried out, the anly son of his 
mother, and fie was a widow. What an 
affecting scene was this, and how was the 
affliction and diftress of the mournful 
parent heightened by ever}' circumftance 
which could make it the more bitter ? 
A young man ciit down, probably in his 
prime, and followed to the grave by his 
weeping parent. "With flow and solemn 
fleps, scarce able to bear up under the load 
of her woes, the mourning matron follows 
the dead to interment, attended by her 
affefted friends and neighbours, who had 
ftrove in vain to comfort her for the loss 
of her only son ; for the young man was 
the only son of his mother, on whom per- 
haps Ihe depended for support ; and to 
render her affliction to the laft degree 
heavy and insupportable, fie was a zvidow. 
With tender pity our great Redeemer be- 
held this daughter of affliftion, and imme- 
diately exerted his divine power for relief 
There was no need of any interceffbr to 
prevail with the blelTed Jesus to attend to 
such a case as this ; his own compaffion 
was sufficient to excite him to relieve her. 
The evangelift informs us, that when the 
Lord saw her he had compaffwn on her, and 
gently approaching, he bid her forbear to 
weep. But so great was her loss that it 
had opened all the fluices of sorrow, and it 
was in vain to bid her refrain from tears. 
No. 3. 



Her hufband was no more, and now fhe 
had loft her only son, the surviving image 
of his departed father, and the laft hope of 
her afflifted soul. What comfort in the 
ordinar)^ course of nature could be ad- 
miniftered to this mournful widow ? She 
had loft her huftDand ; ftie had loft her 
son. What diftress could be more de- 
plorable ? And how natural is to suppose 
that Ihe ftiould refuse to be comforted ; and 
to determine to go down to the grave with 
mourning. Our Lord well knew the 
weight of her affli6tion, and the heavy 
preffure of her present grief, and therefore 
used no arguments to comfort her ; but 
approaching the corpse, he touchea the bier. 
The funeral proceftion immediately ftood 
ftill, and the whole train in ftlent ex- 
peftation awaited the event : when that 
powerful voice, which one day the dead 
fhall hear, and they that hear fliall live, 
soon uttered these remarkable words. 
Young man, I say to thee, arise : No sooner 
had our great Redeemer spoke, but the 
joyful event followed ; he that was dead 
sat up, and began to speak, and he refored 
him to his mother. With what emotions of 
joy muft we suppose this mournful mother 
would receive her only son thus unexpect- 
edly rescued from the cold arms of death ! 
What a flood of tenderness would burft 
upon the soul, and with what gratitude and 
joy would fhe behold his great deliverer, 
who did not make any fliew of this ftupen- 
dous miracle amongft the multitude of his 
followers and the attendants on the funeral, 
but immediately delivered the revived 
young man to his late afflicted, but now 
wondering and rejoicing mother, as a tes- 
timony that this great work was wrought 
in compassion to her diftress. The sur- 
rounding multitudes beheld this wonder- 
ful event with a mixture of aftoniftiment, 
pleasure, holy awe, and fear; and they 
glorified God, saying, that a great prophet 

R 



Ltl^fi 5'F'jESUS' CHRIST 



66 

is risen amongst us, and that God hath 
vifited his people. 

If ^\'c take a rcvic^\' of this miracle, we 
may observe that it is hable to no obje6Hon, 
and abundantly proves the exertion of 
divine power. It is to he observed that it 
was wrought in the open held amongfl; a 
vail number of spectators. A great number 
of the inhabitants of the city attended the 
funeral ; they all bewailed the disconsolate 
ftate of the afiliCied vridow, and had the 
opportunity of being satisfied that the 
youth was really dead. The powerful 
•word which called the dead man to life 
was delivered in an audible voice before 
all the company ; and this was done at the 
gate of tlic city, a place of general resort : 
every orie had the opportunity of satis- 
fying themselves that the young man was 
real!y reilored to life. There Was no 
poHibility of deception, nor room for ob- 
jeftions of any kind ; and this miracle, 
joined with the reil wrought by the same 
divine person, abundantly proves that he 
was the Son of God, and the Saviour of 
finners. 

The fame of the wonderful works whkh 
Jesus conftantly performed, was rapidly 
proclaimed through the various cities of 
Judca, and by the disciples of John the 
Baptift carried to their mafler. I his pro- 
phet, as we before related, was caft into 
prison by Herod Antipas, tetrarch of 
Galilee. The cause of liis imprisonment 
was the offence which that prince had 
taken at his boldly and freely blaming his 
conduct respefting his incefluous connex- 
ion with the Princess Herodias. John 
had now been confined above a year in 
prison, and as he was fully convinced that 
Chrifl was really the Mefliah, and no 
doubt having imbibed the national ex- 
pcftation c.f the "Jews, that the Meffiafi 
v/ould set up a temporal kingdom, he 
perceived that things did not answer his 
expectation : for, doubtless, he appre- 
hended that before this time Christ 
would have manifefled himself, and made 
sonie advances towards his taking the reins 
(>f government. He therefore sent two 
of his disciples to our great Redeemer, with 
this queflion, Art thou he that jlmuld come, 
or look we Jor another We are not to 
suppose by this inquiry, that John enter- 
tained any hesitation or doubt, whether 



Christ was the true MefTiali or not; for 
it is to be observed, that throughout the 
whole course of his miniftry, he had borne 
a regular and ample teflimony to the truth 
of his divine million : he had been con- 
vinced by a particular revelation from 
heaven, and by the descent of the Holy 
Ghoft in a visible form at Christ's bap- 
tism, that he was the divine person who 
was to come to be the Saviour of Israel ; 
arid accordingly he made it his conftant 
care to dispose the Jews in general, and 
his own disciples in particular, to receive 
and reverence him as the MefTiah, bearing 
witness concerning him that he was supe- 
rior to himself, and holding him up to 
view as the Lavib oj God who taketh axmy 
the Jin of the world. It cannot therefore 
be supposed, as before observed, that the 
Baptifl entertained any scruples in his mind 
concerning our Lord's divinity ; but his 
defign seems to be to lead his disciples 
into an acquaintance with our great Re- 
deemer, that by beholding his miracles, 
and hearing his divine conversation, their 
minds might be prepared to receive him ; 
for it is not improbable to suppose, that 
the prophet John might have some ex- 
peftations of his own approaching death. 

Nor v/as the conviftion of his disciples, 
perhaps, the only view which the prophet 
had in sending this meffage to olir great 
Redeemer; it is to be supposed that, like 
the reft of his countrymen, he cxpefted 
the MefTiah to set up a temporal kingdom. 
Nor is this suppcfition derogatory to the 
dignity of so graet a prophet, fince we arfe 
informed, that though John was a prophet^ 
and more than a prophet, th6 leajt in the 
kingdom of heaven is greater than he ; the 
meanefl preacher of the everlafling gospel 
is greater than the Baptiff; because he had 
the opportunity of being informed of thfc 
spiritual nature of Ch r i s t's kingdom. As 
then, it is to be supposed, the great fore-; 
runner of our Redeemer ardently defired, 
and impatiently expefted the appearance 
of his kingdom; and as the bleffed Jesus 
had afTumed no earthly honour or dignity, 
but every thing in the Jewifh church and 
ftate continued the same; the Baptifl 
might send this mcflage gently to remind 
him of what was expelled from him as the 
Redeemer of Israel. 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



The diseiplesi Jbhri brought this mes- 
sage from their mafter to the exalted Sa- 
viour of the world, while he was attending 
to the various diftreffes of the mukitude 
which surrounded him, curing rnatty of 
fheir infirmities, plagues, and evil spirits, 
arid reftoring fight to the blind. These 
mirades the disciples of John beheld, and 
havino- delivered their meffacre, our Lord 
did not thmk proper to return them a direft 
answef, but referred them to the wonder- 
ful works they had now been observing, 
and ordered them to carry an account of 
these things to their mafter, as an answer 
to his inquiry : Go your w*^, said he and 
tell John what things you have heard and 
seen, how that the blind see, the lame walk, 
the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the 
dead are raised, and the poor have the gospel 
preached unto them. 

But that the multitude, from the propo- 
sal of this queftion, might not form an 
unfavourable opinion of John the Baptift, 
our bleffed Saviour at this time thought 
proper to place his character in the moft 
favourable point of light. He commended 
him as a person of the moft invincible cou- 
rage, resolution, and fortitude, who ftood 
firm in the midft of trouble and affliftion, 
and was not like a reed JJiaken with the 
■wind ; and praised him for his auftere and 
mortified course of life, not wearing soft 
raiment like those in king's palaces, but 
maintained a manly hardiness, and ab- 
horred all luxury, effeminacy, and diffipa- 
tiorj. Our great Redeemer then gave a 
fuU and clear teftimony to the prophetic 
ofhce of the Baptift, and declared that he 
Was the person referred to by the prophet 
Isaiah, in those remarkable words. Behold, 
I send my mejfenger before thy face, which 
fliall prepare thy way before thee : and 
added, that this extraordinary person was 
that Elias which, tlie ancient prophets de- 
clared, was to come. 

Our Lord having done juftice to the 
charader of his great forerunner, h^ took 
occafion from thence to blame and rebuke 
the obftinacy and perverseness of the great 
men and high pretenders to religion 
amongft the Jews, who had rejefted both 
his own and the Baptift's teffimony. It 
seems, by the nature of Christ's rebuke, 
that the Scribes and Pharisees, who pre- 
tended to great fafting and mortification, 



thought themselves eclipsed, and with 
envious vexation beheld themselves out- 
done by the real aufterity of the Baptift. 
His living in the desert, and fhunning the 
company of men and the conveniences of 
life, the coarseness of his clothing, the 
abftemiousness and plainness of his diet, 
and the real severities he praftised, they 
beheld with irrowins?- rancour, and not only 
represented them as imprudent and unne- 
ceffary, but proceeded so far as to declare 
him polTeffed with an apoftate spirit : For 
John came neither eating nor drinking; 
and ye say, He hath a devil. 

But though these bold pretenders to su- 
perior san6f ity and ' mortification, could 
exclaim againit the Baptift on account of 
the aufterity of his lift, it was manifeft that 
it was envy and not reason which promoted 
their unbelief : for when Christ, on the 
contrary, dwelt in (Cities, and conversed 
with mankind, enjdining no aufterities nor 
mortification, they could make use of this 
conduft as a ground of reproach. The son 
oj man came eating and drinking : though 
he could not by his moft inveterate ene- 
mies be charged vzith any intemperance, or 
with encouraging or conniving at it in 
others ; yet these determined opposers of 
heavenly truth could say. Behold a man, 
gluttonous, and a wine-bibber, and a friend 
of publicans and finners! But, said our 
great Redeemer, toisdovi is jnf fed of hir 
children. 

He then proceeded to upbraid the sever- 
al cities where his moft wonderful v;orks 
had been performed ; they had enjoyed the 
opportuniiy of attending his heavenly 
discourses, and had been witness to his 
wonderful works ; frequently had they 
seen him perform miracles which could not 
be disputed, but fully manifefted the migh- 
ty power of God ; they had often seen him 
perform wonders sufficient to have con- 
vinced the moft itrnorant and idolatrous 
nations, who were immersed in the depth 
of sensuality, and had imbibed the ftrongeft 
prejudices againft the truth : yet, so great 
was their obftinacy, they perfifted in their 
unbelief ; they perfifted in their wickedness 
notwithftanding all he had done to con- 
vince and reform them. Wo unto thee, 
Chorazin ! Wo unto thee, Bethsaida ! vsaid 
our great Redeemer, for if the nughiy 
works zchich have been doTie in you, had beai 



68 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have 
npcntcd long ago in sackcloth and aJJics. 
But I say unto you, it Jhall he more toler- 
able for Tyre and Sidon in the day of 
judgment, than for you. And thou Caper- 
naum; that art exalted unto heaven, fialt 
be brought down to hell ; Jor if the mighty 
works that have been done in thee, had been 
done in Sodom, it would have remained unto 
this day. But I say unto you, that it fiall 
he more tolerable for the land of Sodom in 
the day of judgment than for you. Matt, 
xi, 21, <&c. 

After having, in the mofl awful, af- 
fe^ling, and awakening manner, pronoun- 
ced such woes on these unbelieving and 
profliiTiite cities, ouri <jreat Redeemer con- 

11 1- ■ 'O. 

eluded his discourse with these gracious 
and reviving words,, Co77i.' unto me all ye 
that labour and are heavy laden, and I will 
give you rcf. It is the Son of the eternal 
God, the Heir of alLthings, the almighty 
Judge of heaven and earth, who kindly 
condescends to address poor, loft, undone 
finners in this affecting language ; having 
pronounced heavy woes on the rebellious 
race, whose haughty self-sufficiency, in- 
veterate prejudice, pride, and obftinacy, 
prevented their receiving the truth, the 
kind and condescending Saviour of finners 
gives the moft tender, hcart-affefting in- 
vitati in to the humble and penitent. Those 
v.'ho labour and are heavy laden; those 
who are conscious of their vileness and 
finfulness, who are prefled with the weight 
of their iniquities ; whose guilt lies upon 
them like an heavy burden, from the weight 
of which they ardently defire to be deliver- 
ed, are here called upon and earneftly in- 
vited to come to the only person who is 
able to relieve them. It is not the great 
and noble ; it is not the powerful, prospe- 
rous, and happy ; it is not the exultmg 
son^ ('^f joy, but the poor, needy, and af- 
flicted, who are labouring under a sense 
of fin, and burdened with the weight of 
their iniquities, who are thus invited to 
come to c ur great Rede emer. The great 
Maker of all things, the all-wise and all- 
powcrful Preserver, the supreme Governor 
and Judge of the universe, gracioufly con- 
descends to cf' 11 unto, and with the utmoft 
tenderness to invite poor, heavy-laden fin- 
ners to come : he does not call upon them 
to come wiih a defign to punifh ihcir of- 



fences; he does not summon them to ap- 
pear before his awful seat ol jndgment ; he 
does not call them with a defign to deride 
or expose their miseries ; he does not call 
them with an intent to punifh their offen- 
ces, but with a defign to release them from 
their afflictions, to release them f rom their 
burdens, to give them reft and peace, 
and make them eternally happy. Come 
unto me, says our great Redeemer, all ye 
that labour and ore heavy laden ; all you 
who are sensible of your vileness ; who are 
humbled under a sense of your iniquities ; 
who see the dreadful condition to which 
you are reduced by your fins ; who have 
been long groaning under the intolerable 
weight of your guilt, and panting for de- 
liverance ; but throughout the limits of the 
wide creation can find no refuge, no help, 
no deliverer. Come unto me, look unto me 
and be saved ; trufl in me as mighty to save ; 
venture your all in my hands ; seek no oth- 
er refuge, no ether help, no other deliver- 
er ; but come unto me and I will give you 
rcf. It is not my defign to upbraid you 
with the vileness and folly of your conduct; 
it is not my defign to enter into judgment 
with you and punifli you for your iniqui- 
ties, but to lead you into the paths of peace, 
truth and happiness : be not afraid to lifl- 
en to my words and follow my directions, 
but with a full reliance on my power, 
wisdom, and goodness, take my yoke upon 
you, and learn of me ; for I am meek and 
lowly of heart ; and ye shall find reft jor 
your souls : for my yoke is easy, and my bur- 
den is light. Can there be a greater evi- 
dence of the corruption and depravity of 
the human heart than the coldness with 
which the degenerate sons of Adam receive 
so tender, so affecting, and so important 
an invitation. The great Creator hath 
formed them with ftrong defires of happi- 
ness, and they toil out a weary life in the 
eager pursuit of every appearance of good. 
They are loft in the pursuit, and inftead of 
happiness, find themselves plunged in 
trouble, vexation, and woe ; they find 
themselves burdened with many griefs, but 
will not come to him who only is able to ^ 
relieve them. What blindness, ftupidity, 
and abominable pride poffess the human 
hcarr, and excite it to rejeft the gracious 
calls and invitations of the only Saviour of 
finners 



AND LIVES OF 

After our great Redeemer had finifhed 
his discourse, he was invited by one Simon, 
a leper, to go to his house, and take some 
reFreOiment. The invitation he accept- 
ed, and accompanied him to his apart- 
ment, where, as he sat at meat, a woman 
whose course of Hfe was known to have 
been loose and profligate, sat at his feet 
beholding him with the tendereft afFeftion, 
and fhed such flooods of tears that they 
trickled down his feet, which according to 
the cuftom of the country were bare. She 
seeing that her tears had wet the feet of 
her beloved Lord, wiped them with her 
hair, frequently kifTmg them with the ut- 
moft tenderness and affeftion, and anointed 
them with precious ointment. It was 
doubtless the sense of her former course of 
life, and a deep conviftion of her crimes, 
which caused this woman to fhed such a 
profufion of tears ; and her love to the 
bleffed Jesus arose from the benefit 
fhe had received from his heavenly dis- 
courses. ^ 

The cuftom, which then prevailed in the 
Eaftern countries, of pouring fragrant oil 
on the heads of those gueff s on whom they 
deiigned to beflow peculiar and diftin- 
guifhed marks of honour, seems to have 
brought this woman to our Redeemer at 
this time ; and it appears to have been her 
original intention to have poured the 
ointment on his head ; but being deeply 
humbled under a sense of her unworthi- 
ness, fhe could not approach her divine 
Inflruftor with so much freedom as to ac- 
complifh her firfl intention, but thought it 
more confiftent with her humility and self- 
abasement to anoint only his feet. 

The leper, who it seems was a Pharisee, 
had attentively observed the woman, and 
knowing her charafter, concluded that 
Jesus could not be a prophet. This 
man, said Simon to himself, if he -were a 
prophet, Tjoould have known who and what 
manner of woman this is that touched him ; 
for fhe is a fnner. And so full of pride 
and self-sufhciency was the man, that he 
was offended at, and was ready to rebuke 
the bleffed Jesus for his deigning to take 
notice of and converting with such con- 
temptible charafters : but our great Re- 
deemer, to convince him that he was 
a prophet, and that he knew not only the 
charafter of the woman who had touched 
No. 3. 



HIS APOSTLES. Sg 

him, but was acquainted with the. thoughts 
of all who thought mean of him in their 
hearts, began a conversation with him on 
the very subjeft he had been revolving in 
his mind. He did not expose his fc'ily to 
the company, by openly relating the secret 
thoughts of his heart, and infifling onthe 
absurdity of them, but with the utn\ofl 
delicacy pointed out to Simon himself 
the unreasonableness in the conclufion 
had formed. Simon, said the bleffed Je- 
sus, / have somewhat to say unto thee: 
there was a certain creditor zchich had two 
debtors, the one owed five hundred pence, 
and the other fijty ; and zuhcn they had 
nothing to pay he frankly forgave them both. 
Tell me thercfo'^e, which of them will love 
him mcfl. Simon answered and said, I 
suppose that he to whom he forgave mofi. 
And he said unto him, thou hafi rightly 
judged. Our divine Inftruftor then im- 
mediately applied this fhort parable to the 
cause of^ the woman, concerning whom 
the Pharisee had so unjuflly reasoned in his 
heart. Simon, continued he, seef thou this 
woman? I entered into thine house, thou 
gavefi me no water jor my feet ; but fie 
hath wafhed my fet with her tears, and 
wiped them with the hairs tf her head. 
Thou gavefi me no kiss ; but this woman 
fince the time I came in hath not ceased 
to kiss my Jeet. Mine head with oil thou 
didfi. not anoint; but this woman hath 
aiiointed my feet with ointment. Where- 
fore, I say unto thee, her fins, which are 
many, are forgiven ; for fie loved nmch : 
but to whom little is forgiven, the same 
loveth little. 

Our Saviour having thus, with great 
delicacy, rebuked the unjufl and injurious 
suspicions of the Pharisee, and vindicated 
his own charafter, as well as the conduft 
of the woman, whose extraordinary kind- 
ness and tender affeftion were in no dan- 
ger of loofing their reward from one who 
enjoyed the fine feelings of human nature 
in their higheft perfeclion, now addrefled 
the woman with the soul-reviving news, 
that her fins were forgiven. But while 
her heart expanded with the holy gra- 
titude and joy, which was inspired by the 
great declaration, the Pharisees beheld 
both our Redeemer and the woman with 
rancour, disdain, and sullen contempt : 
thev could not endure the thought, that 
S 



70 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



great liniv^r^ {liould be pardoned, and 
set on a Vvel with tliemselvcs ; nor could 
they be jeeonciled to the authority ^vhic]l 
our Redeemer liad aiUnncd ; for being 
icrnor;tVt ot his duiiuty, they conchided 
tfiat /V had infringed on the prerogative 
of rbe Ahnightv, who only had a right to 
parcbn lins. But the j^real Irieiul ol hn- 
neii, regardless o{ iluir malicious nuir- 
murs, confirmed iiis gracious words, by 
repeating liis alfuraiucs to the woman, 
ndding, that her laith had saved her, and 
bidding her depart in peace. 

Some little time aite.r this, our great 
Redeemer de})arlcd from Capernaum, an.d 
travelled through some parts of Galilee, 
going through every village, preaching and 
Jhewing the glad-iidings of the kingdom cj 



God, Luke viii. i. And after this fhbrt 
tour he prepared to go to Jerusalem, to 
eat the pano\ er ; this being the second 
feall of that kind hnee the commcnce- 
jnent oJ his public minillry. In this jour- 
ney, he was accom})anied by several pious 
women, amongll whom were Joanna, the 
wile of Herod's lleward, Susanna, Mary 
Magdalene, and various others, who had 
been dispodeiled of devils, or cured of 
dangerous and painful diseases ; some 
amongll them were persons of weahh, 
and were willing not only to acknowledge 
the great benefits they had received, but 
to make such returns as Providence had 
put in their power, and, therefore, they 
freely mmijlered to him of their subjlance. 



CHAPTER XV. 



Ch RiST, being at Jerusalem at the time of the Passover, heals an impotent Man, at ths 
Pool of Bethcsda on the Sabbath-day : He healeth one possessed of a Devil, who was blind 
and dumb : He shewcth that Blasphemy againft the Holy Ghofl is an unpardonable Sin ; 
and slicweth whom he regardeth as his neareft Relations. lie alledgeth scripture in ex- 
cuse for his Disciples, whom the Pharisees charged with breaking the Sabbath in pluck- 
ing the cars oj Corn on the Sabbath-day : He oppealeth to Reason, and healeth the with- 
ered hand on the Sabbath-day. 



NEAR the temple in Jerusalem w^as a 
pool of water, into which ran the 
blood of the sacrifices, and the water which 
was used by the priefts in preparing the 
victims, and on other occahons. This pool 
was called in the Hebrew tongue, Bethcs- 
da, that is, ilie house of mercy. It was sur- 
rounded by five porches, or cloiflers, and 
these were filled wuh a great multitude of 
impotent folks, of blind, halt, withered, wait- 
ing for the moving of tlie water. For an 
angel rcent down at a certain season and 
troubled the water : whosoever then firf, 
after the troubling of the water, stepped in, 
-was made zuhole of -whatever disease he had. 
The account of this miraculous pool is 
given by the evangelifl; John, but it is not 
mentioned by any more of the sacred v/ri- 
lers : and various quefibns have arisen 
concerning these wonderful waters, which 
ii halhbeen impoffible to resolve, because 
the pool of Bethesda is not mentioned by 



any other Jewefh writer, sacred or pro- 
phane. 

For the above reasons, it cannot be pre- 
cisely determined, when this miraculous 
power of healing firft appeared in this pool; 
but it is almoft universally agreed, that it 
could not be long [before the coming of 
our Redeemer ; and that the miracle was 
intended to lead to the Son of God, «nd to 
prepare the nation for the reception of 
him. Nor is it flranae, that a healing 
virtue fliould attend those waters, which 
were flrained with the blood of the sacri- 
fices, which pointed to Christ, at the 
tiinc when this great person was about to 
be manifefted. The gift of prophecy, 
and that of miracles, had ceased amongfl 
the Jews above four hundred years ; and 
therefore, it mull be supposed, that this 
miraculous event w^ould rouse the atten- 
tion of the nation, awaken every defire in 
their hearts for the coming of the Meffiah, 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



and make them more circumspe6l in ob- 
serving rhe tokens of his appearance. And 
as the Jewifli nation, at this time, was 
under great tribulation and contempt, and 
suffered exceedmgly from the tyranny and 
■oppreffion of the Gentiles, it may be sup- 
posed, that the God of Israel gracioufly 
condescended to give them this eminent 
token of his favour, and gave this won- 
derful healing virtue to these blood-ftained 
Waters, that they might not despair of the 
fulfilment of his ancient promises, but 
have an eye to the blood of the cove- 
nant, and expeft the appearance of that 
great person, of whom Isaiah prophefied. 
He was wounded, for our transgrejjions, and 
bruised for our iniquities. ' And as God 
Was pleased, at this time, to give such a 
wonderful healing virtue to a fountain of 
water, it may reasonably be supposed, that 
he defigned to lead the minds of the de- 
vout worfhippers in his temple to that 
great person, of whom it was prophefied 
that he (hould be a fountain opened for fin 
and uncleanness. 

Jesus being come to Jerusalem to the 
feaft of the paffover, he repaired to the 
pool of Bethesda, and took a view of the 
various subjefts of disease, infirmity, and 
affliftion, which crowded the porches, and 
waited for the troubling of the waters. 
Had these miserable objefts applied to 
our great Redeemer for help, no doubt, 
they would all have experienced the great 
effefts of that divine power of healing, 
which this illuftrious person so eminently 
poffeffed : but it is to be supposed, that 
he was absolutely unknown amongft them, 
and no blelfing or benefit was expefted 
from him. This may be supposed to be 
the reason why our great Redeemer, did 
not extend his heavenly goodness to the 
whole number of those afflifted and dis- 
eased persons ; for the general account 
which the evanwlifts o-ive of his divine 
compalTion on other occafions is, that he 
heated all who came to him. Such dis- 
eased persons who left their habitations, 
out of a persuafion of his divine power 
and goodness, were the firft objects of his 
companion, and never returned without a 
cure ; but the fick at the pool of Bethesda, 
iwere attentive to other means of relief, 
^and thought not of the Redeemer of 
Israel. 



Amongft these miserable objects, was a 
man who had laboured under his disease 
no less than thirty-eight years. The long- 
continuance, as well as the diftresslul na- 
ture of this man's afHi6tion, was well 
known to the Son of God : and amonoii; 

o 

the great number of diseased persons which 
he beheld crowding the porches that 
surrounded the pool, our exalted Saviour 
fingled out this poor man as the objeft 
of his compaffion ; and accofted him v/ith 
this queftion, Wilt thou be made whole 
This queftion seemed defigned to excite 
the attention of the people around, and to 
give the impotent man an opportunity of 
relating the malignant nature, and long 
continuance of his disease, and, of conse- 
quence, making manifeft that divine pow- 
er, which could inftantaneoufty remove it. 
The infirm person, thinking the queftion 
of our Lord had an immediate reference 
to the waters of the pool, replied, Sir^ 
I have no man, when the water is trou- 
blad, to put me into the pool ; but while I 
am coming, another fieppeth down before me. 
But our great Redeemer soon convinced 
him, that he was not to receive his cure 
from the healing virtue of the waters, 
nor to wait till the angel came down to 
trouble them ; but would receive imme- 
diate relief, by the mighty power of the 
Son of God, and, accordingly, bid him 
arise, take up his bed, and walk. The 
powerful words had no sooner fallen from 
the lips of this divine person, than the great 
event took place. The impotent man felt 
a sudden warmth and vigour run through 
his relaxed nerves, and his feeble limbs 
assumed their youthful ftrength ; when, 
finding himself able to perform the com- 
mand of his great benefactor, he made no 
scruple of taking up his bed, and carrying 
italono^ the ftreets, thouorh it was the Sab- 
bath-day. 

So great a miracle could not fail exci- 
ting the wonder of the spectators ; and the 
new cured man, carrying his bed through 
the city on the Sabbath-day, which was a 
thing not practised by the Jews, and muft 
have aftrange appearance to the beholders 
would not fail to spread the account of 
this surprising event through the whole 
city. The man, who had £0 wonderfully 
recovered the use ct his limbs, did not 
scruple to obey the commands of the 



72 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



Divine Phvfician, though they were con- 
trary to the cullom ot his country, and 
would be hkcly to expose him to the 
bhinic of tlic Jews ; he well knew, that 
a person who could perform such won- 
derful works, mult be a great prophet ; 
and he supjiosed that such a person would 
not order him to perform any adion 
Ashich was hntiil, and therefore, regard- 
less of the reproaches he met with from 
the J^'ws, he carried his bed through the 
*'^rccts of the city. The Jews beheld him 
with mixture of indignation and con- 
tempt, and angrily told him, that it was 
not lawful for him to carry his bed on 
the Sabbath-day. But the man, elated by 
his happy deliverance, and holding his 
great beneta6for in the higheft cfteem, 
thought it sufficient to answer. He that 
made VIC zohole, the same said unto me, 
Take up thy bed and walk, John v. ii. 
The Jews, not satisfied with this answer, 
fliarply inquired, who it was that had 
made him whole ; which queflion the man 
was not able to answer, as Jesus, as soon 
as he had performed the miracle, had 
mixed with the crowd, and was imper- 
ceivably departed from them. 

Some time after this, the person who 
had thus been miraculoufly reflored, met 
with the Divine Phyfician in the temple, 
who took the opportunity to impress on 
his mind, a sense of the great benefit he 
had received, and the obligations he lay 
under to amendment of life : Behold, thou 
art made whole, said our great Redeemer, 
Jin no more, Icjl a loorse thing come unto 
thee. The evangelift has not informed us 
what effeft this admonition had on the 
person who had been healed but having, 
bv this event, found out his great bene- 
fa6lor, he, no doubt, expeclmg the whole 
nation would revere so extraordinary a 
person, went to the rulers of the Jews, and 
told them, thatzY was Jesus who had made 
him whole. 

This information had a very different 
effecl than what might be expefted ; the 
pride and obflinacy of the rulers of 
Israel, prevented their convi6tion, and 
their inveterate prejudices blinded their 
eyes, so that everv manifeftation of divine 
power was lofl on them : for, inflead of 
reverencing the Redeemer of Israel, and 
rejoicing that God had remembered his 



people, they tumultuoufly attacked him 
in the temple, and probably, carried him 
before the Sanhedrim, with an intention 
to take away his life, because he had 
done good on the Sabbath-day. Our 
great Redeemer, in answer to their ca- 
lumny, observed, that by doin^ good on 
the Sabbath-day, he afted conhftent with 
the condu61; of his heavenly Father, who, 
as Supreme Governor of the universe, car- 
ried on the order of nature, and supplied 
the wants of his numerous creatures, with- 
out diflin6iion of days ; and whose pro- 
vidence is conflantly employed in doing 
o;ood to the sons of men without inter- 
mifTion, or regard to times and seasons. 
But the Jews were not to be convinced 
by argument, they cheriflied in their minds 
a growing rancour, and an implacable 
hatred to the Son of God ; so that what 
he had observed, inflead of compofmg 
their minds, only tended to irritate and 
inflame them : and they attacked him with 
mortal hatred, and all the virulence of 
abuse, and flood determined to take away 
his life, because he not only had broken 
the Sabbath, but had said, that God was 
his Father ; making himself equal with 
God. 

Had the Jews been wrong in this con- 
clufion, that Christ, in the account which 
he gave of himself, made himself equal 
with God, no doubt that divine person, 
in whom dwelt eternal truth, would have 
set them to rights in a matter of such high 
importance, which so nearly concerned 
himself, and which he was the only pro- 
per person to explain. But we find, that 
the following discourse of our great Re- 
deemer, did not tend to discredit such a 
conclufion, but to eflablifli and enforce 
it. He begins with observing, that so close 
is the connexion, and such the equality, 
between himself and the Father, that the 
same works which are ascribed to one may 
be properly ascribed to the other. Vcrily^y^ 
verily, I say unto you, said our great Re-s 
deemer, the Son can do nothing himselj, but 
what he scelh the Father do : /or what things 
soever he doeih; these also doeth the Son 
likewise : for the Father loveth the Son and 
shcweth him all things thai himsclj doeth; 
and he will shew hwi greater works than 
these, that ye may marvel. From this testi- 
mony which' the Son of God bears to his 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



own divinity, it is evident that all men 
fhould honour the Father, and that the 
stupendous works of creation, providence, 
and grace, may be juftly ascribed to our 
dear Immanuel ; and him we may adore, 
as the Great Maker, the All-wise and All- 
<potent Preserver, the Great Supreme Gov- 
ernor, and Judge of the universe. 

The Saviour of the world then proceed- 
ed to refer to those particular works which 
manifelted him to be the Son of God, and 
of consequence, by their own conclusion, 
equal with the Father ; and in this view, 
he mentions the manifeftation of his di- 
vine power in raising the dead. Verily, ve- 
rily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and 
now is, when the dead Jhall hear the voice of 
the Son of God ; and they that hear fiall 
live. For as the Father hath life in him- 
self, so he hath given to the Son to have life 
in himself ; and hath given him authority 
to execute judgment also, because he is the 
Son of man. The evidence of the divinity 
of the Saviour of the world, arises not only 
from the divine power which he manifeft- 
ed in raising the natural dead, but was also 
abundantly manifeft by his divine power, 
exerted in raising dead sinners ; which is 
a work which can be affected by nothing 
less than the mighty power of God ; and 
to which these remarkable words seem to 
allude. 

But our great Redeemer proceeds fur- 
ther to assert and enforce his own divinity, 
and equality with the Father, by observing, 
that to him is assigned the great work of 
sitting in judgment, and fixing the eternal 
ftate of all mankind. Marvel not at this, 
said he, for the hour is coming, in which all 
that are in the graves shall come forth : they 
that have done good, to the resurredion of 
life, and they that have done evil, to the 
resurredion of damnation. And my judg- 
ment IS jujt, because I seek not mine own 
will, but the will of my Father who sent 
me. In that great and terrible day, the 
fate of a falhng world will be decided by 
Unerring Wisdom, and the invariable 
rules of righteousness and goodness ; for 
the great Judge of heaven and earth, 
hath a full and clear perception of every 
aftion which has been performed from the 
. beginning to the end of time : and he is 
absolutely impartial and unbialfed, having 
no inclination to satisfy, no end to pursue, 
No. 4. 



73 

different from those of his heavenly Fa- 
ther. 

The great Saviour of the world, as a 
further confirmation of his divinity, ap- 
pealed to the teftimony of John, to whom 
the Pharisees had formerly sent a depu- 
tation to know his opinion of Christ. 
Our Lord observed, that he was a burn- 
ing and a Jhining light, in which, for a 
time, the Jews greatly rejoiced, and they 
had cause to rejoice, because the pro- 
phetic spirit, which had so long ceased 
in Israel, had been revived in that holy 
man ; and he had given a full and clear 
teflimony, that Jesus was the Son of 
God : but our Redeemer proceeded to a 
greater teftimony than that of John, which 
was no other than God himself, who, by 
the miracles which he daily direfted him 
to perform, was bearing a conftant witness 
to the truth of his divinity, and had by 
an audible voice at his baptism, declared 
him to be his well-beloved Son ; a voice 
which multitudes of people had heard, 
and, perhaps, some of those to whom he 
was now speaking. 

And for a further confirmation of the 
great truth he had been maintaining, our 
Lord, as a means to ftrike a full con- 
viftion in the minds of the Jews, with 
whom he was converfing, appealed to 
their own Scriptures : Search the Scrip- 
tures ; for in them ye think ye have eternal 
life : and they are they which tcjlify oj me. 
But, notwithftanding the clearness of the 
ancient prophecies, and the remarkable 
manner in which they described and 
pointed out the Saviour of finners, that 
unhappy nation was so blinded by their 
prejudices and vices, that they could not 
believe. The Jews had long expefted 
the Meffiah to appear amongft them, but 
they had formed very different concep- 
tions of his appearance, than the defigns 
of heaven, or the discriptions of their 
prophets. The Scribes and Pharisees had 
long amused themselves, and filled the 
minds of the people, with grand and 
magnificent ideas of the Mefliah's king- 
dom ; they had represented him as a 
potent prince, who was to be adorned 
with all the enfigns of power, and the 
glory of sovereign greatness ; he was to 
lit on the throne of his father David, 
and raise it in power, greatness, glory, 
T 



) 



74 



LIFE OF JESUS CH RIST 



grandeur, and magnificence, above all 
the kingdoms oi the earth. Hence it 
was, that they could not acknowledge 
Jesus as the Melhah ; they took ottencc 
at the meanness oi his appearance ; and 
though the mighty works which he per- 
formed, fully manifVhed the truth of his 
nnlhon, and were sufHcicnt to convince 
e very impartial and unprejudiced mind, 
that he was really the Melliah ; yet the 
pride of that iniatuated nation, could not 
iloop so low as to acknowledge him : 
nor could their teachers, who had filled 
their minds with such vafl expettations 
of temporal greatness, condescend to con- 
fess themselves so much miftaken in the 
meaning cf the prophets. 

But to conclude this discourse, our Lord 
proceeded to observe that he himself fhould 
not be their only accuser to his Father, but 
they would be condemned for their infideli- 
ty by their great le^illator, Moses, on whom 
they trufted as their invariable friend. Do 
not think, said he, that I will accuse you to 
the Father ; there is one that accuseth you, 
even Moses, in whom ye truji : for had ye 
believed Moses, ye would have believed me ; 
for he wrote cf me : but ij ye believe 
not his writings, how JJiall ye believe my 
words ? 

With such observations and arguments 
as these, the bleffed Jesus combated the 
pride and prejudice of the Jewifh nation, 
and proved himself to be the Son of God, 
the great Judge of the whole earth, and 
the Mefhah promised by the ancient pro- 
phets ; and so plain and convincing were 
the proofs and arguments he brought, that 
his adversaries could not reply : but 
though they were filenced by the wisdom 
of his words, their old prejudices remain- 
ed ; and their being baffled and overcome 
in every contefl, filled them with a grow- 
ing rancour and settled hatred to his per- 
son, which fhewed itself on every occafion, 
and proceeded so far as to induce them to 
endeavour to take away his life. 

Nor was it long before the proud and 
envious Scribes and Pharisees found a 
frefh op])ortunity to exclaim againft our 
great Redeemer, and pursue him with 
their impertinent obje6lions and cavils ; for 
going wiih his train through the corn-fields 
(;n the sabbath-day, his disciples plucked 
the ears of corn and eat the grain, after 



rubbing it in their hands, and the Pharisees 
with the utmofl severity and bitterness 
exclaimed againfl this as a profanation of 
the sabbath. Our Lord, in reply to thLs 
calumny, reminded them of the condu6l 
of David, who, in a case of neceflitv, 
when he fled from Saul, permitted his 
servants, and presumed himself, to eat of 
the fliew-briad which was kept in the 
tabernacle, and was not lawful for any to 
eat but the priefls ; and further to convince 
them of the folly of their remarks, our 
Lord referred them to the conduct of the ir 
own priefts, who conftanlly performed the 
neceftary work of the temple on the sab- 
bath-day : from whence it appears, that 
works of necefTity had been always per- 
mitted on the sabbath-day, though it was 
contrary to the command of the law. Our 
Lord further observed, that it was neceffa- 
ry the Scribes and Pharisees fhould know 
that the Son of man was Lord of the sab- 
bath : for as the work which himself and 
his disciples conftantly attended to was 
promoting the eternal intereft of mankind, 
they had a greater right to claim an ex- 
emption from the ftricl observance of the 
sabbath than the priefts in the temple, 
who were only concerned in the pra6lice 
of ritual observances, could pretend to. 
And in the conclufion of this discourse, 
our great Redeemer took notice that afts 
of mercy fliould always be performed, 
though they were attended with the vio- 
lation of some of the sacred inflitutions 
of the ceremonial law ; for it would be 
inverting the order of nature, and reverfing 
the immutable rules of reason and the 
nature of things, to suppose that man was 
made for the sabbath, and not the sabbath 
for the use and benefit of man. 

Soon after this debate with the Scribes 
and Pharisees, our bleffed Saviour enter- 
ed one of the synagogues of Jerusalem 
on the sabbath-day, and in the affembly 
there was a man whose right hand was 
withered, 

The Pharisees rightly concluded that 
such an obje6l of diflress would excite the 
compaffion of that divine phyfician, who 
had so often exerted the wonderful power 
he poffeffed in behalf of the helpless and 
miserable : and, observing that Jesus took 
particular notice of the infirm person, they 
watched him with all the keenness and 



AND LIVES OF 

yancour of the moft inveterate malice, 
concluding that they fliould now have an 
opportunity of accufing him to the people 
as a breaker of the sabbath. So full of 
pride and self-sufficiency was this hypo- 
critical generation, and so greatly they 
valued themselves on the exa6l. per- 
formance of external ceremonies, that 
they could openly accuse our great Re- 
deemer of a capital offence for healing the 
diseased on the sabbath-day : but so blind 
and ftupid were these doctors of the law, 
that they could not see that themselves 
were profaning and polluting that sacred 
day of reft, by indulging the moft diaboli- 
cal dispofitions, and praftifing the moft 
attrocious aftions which could be com- 
mitted. Such was their endeavouring 
to deftroy a various and innocent person, 
who had never injured them, whose con- 
du6l and charafter demanded the higheft 
respect, and whose life was spent in pro- 
I moting the beft intereft of mankind. 

The Saviour of the world was not unac- 
quainted with their deadly malice, nor their 
j present intentions to take an advantage of 
his heavenly goodness ; he knew the ran- 
cour of their hearts ; he penetrated their 
deepeft deiigns ; and unmoved by their im- 
, potent rage, he ordered the person to ftand 
j up in the full view of the whole congrega- 
l' tion, and publicity avowed his defign to 
r heal him. 

j The hypocritical teachers of Israel ex- 
} claimed againft the beneficent aftion he was 
about to perform, as an impious and un- 
lawful profanation of the sabbath. Is it, 
said they, lawful to heal on the sabbath- 
day? It is not to be supposed that, by this 
I exclamation, they defigned to prevent the 
" performance of the miracle, but rather to 
: draw from our great Redeemer such an 
. answer as they might take advantage of, 
and which might give them an opport^inity 
to accuse him with the greater success : 
I but our Lord answered them in such a 
: manner as let them know that he penetrated 
their deepeft defigns, and at the same time 
I baffled and confounded their utmoft rage. 
Is it, said he, lawful to do good on the 
sabbath-day, or to do evil ? To save life, or 
^ to defray it? Is it lawful for you, ye 
j moft deteftable hypocrites, to harbour in 
J your minds the moft infernal rancour and 
' hatred againft me ; and with the higheft 



HIS APOSTLES. 75 

injuftice and cruelty to plot againft my 
life on the sabbath-day ? Ar\A is it not law- 
ful for me to reftore to his former ftrength 
this poor diftreffed man who ftands before 
you ? The juftice and severity of this 
rebuke ftruck them dumb ; and, not being 
able to reply, they pretended not to under- 
ftand his meaning : but to leave them 
without excuse, our Lord made use of an 
argument which ftupidity itself could not 
miftake, and which all the sophiflry of these 
hypocritical teachers was not able to evade. 
What man, said our exalted Saviour, fiall 
there be amongf you, who fhall have one 
fieep, and if it fall into a pit on the sab- 
bath-day, will he not lay hold on it, a?id lift 
it out ? How much then is a man better than 
a fheep ? Wherefore it is lawful to do well 
on the sabbath-days. 

This plain reference to their own praft ice 
was so clear and convincing, that they 
could not pretend to be ignorant of it ; 
and so full that they were effe6lually 
iilenced, though they were determined not 
to be convinced. This wicked preverse- 
ness and unconquerable obftinacy grieved 
the spirit of the meek and lowly, the kind 
and benevolent Son of God, who lookinof 
round on his enemies with a mixture of 
companion and sorrow, kindly command- 
ed the lame man to ftretch out his hand : 
the man gladly obeyed, and inftantly it 
was reftored whole as the other. 

This aftoniftiing work our great Re- 
deemer performed in a large congregation, 
in the full view of all the people, in whom 
the foregoing dispute had raised a curiofity 
to behold the event ; and as, no doubt, it 
was performed on a person that frequented 
the synagogue, moft of the persons there 
present were acquainted with the man, 
while he laboured under this infirmity ; and 
as it was performed by the blefled Jesus 
in the midft of his moft inveterate enemies, 
it muft certainly have a great effeft on the 
minds of the beholders, especially as they 
saw that it had effeftually filenced the Pha- 
risees, who had nothing to offer, either 
againft the miracle itself, the proofs and 
reasonings urged for the fitness and pro- 
priety of it, or the divine power of him 
who had performed it. 

But though these proud, envious, and 
hypocritical teachers? were aftonifhed at the 
miracles, and filenced by the arguments of 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



the Son of God, yet they were far from 
giving up (heir unjull and cruel inllitutions : 
ior though they bore an inveterate hatred 
to the Sadducees and Herodians, because 
they presumed to differ from them in their 
reli:;ious sentiments, yet they could join 
with these persons xhcy so much despised, 
and consult with them in order to take 
away his life. 

For they well knew that if he continued 
the course of his minillry, and produced 
such incontefllble evidences of divine pow- 
er, the people would follow him ; when 
their own weight and influence would 
t]uickly decline, and their preaching be- 
come contemptible. jF.suswell knew their 
wicked defigns, yet he did not think proper 
at this time, any further to oppose them, 
but retired into Galilee, to the borders of 
the lake of Chinnereth. 

This retreat of our great Redeemer 
seems to have displeased some of his dis- 
ciples, who had flrongly imbibed the popu- 
lar idea of the Meffiah's temporal kingdom, 
and expelled that he would have efl;ablifli- 
ed his authority by force, and exerted his 
divine power to bear dowr^ all oppofition ; 
and they were extremely mortified to find 
their Mafter give way, and seem to decline 
any further conteff. But the obscurity of 
his retreat could not conceal him from the 
multitudes who flocked to him from all 
quarters, bringing with them their fick and 
diseased ; and his heavenly goodness heal- 
ed them all. Nor would the disciples have 
been offended at this mild and peaceable 
condu6l of their Mafter, had they atten- 
tively confidered the prophecy of Isaiah, 
where this peaceable dispofition is particu- 
larly inlifted on as eminently diftinguifhing 
the character oi the Meffiah. Behold my 
servant whom I have chosen ; my beloved, 
in whom my soul is well pleased : I will 
put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew 
judgvient to the Gentiles. He shall not 
Jlrive, nor cry ; neither shall any man hear 
his voice in the Jlreets. A bruised reed 
shall lie not quench, till he send forth judg- 
ment unto viclory. And in his name shall 
the Gentiles trujt. Matt. xii. 1 2, &c. 

The small variations between this pro- 
phecy, as quoted by St. Matthew, and 
the original in the book of Isaiah, are of 
no consequence, as the sense is the same ; 
and here it may be worthy of remark, that 



this prophecy describes the publication of | 
the Chriltian religion by Jesus Christ, ] 
vaftly different from that of the Jewifli | 
religion by Moses. The law of Moses J 
M^as publilhed with thunder and fire, and \ 
the ftrontreil circumftances of terror from 1 
mount Smai, and only extended to the 
fingle nation of the Israelites : the doftrine 
of salvation, as publiflied by the Mefliah, j 
was mild, peaceable, and gentle, and was j 
extended to every nation and people under 
heaven. Accordingly, our Lord, by re- i 
tiring to Galilee, fulfilled the firft part of | 
this famous prophecy. He Jhall Jhew judg- ■^ 
ment to the Gentiles ; for we are informed j 
by the evangelift that great multitudes 
came to him from beyond Jordan, and 
from Syria, and from the countries about 
Tyre and Sidon. , 

While our Lord remained in Galilee, 
there was brought unto him a blind and ' 
dumb man, pofleffed with a devil ; but 
he, with a fmgle word, cafl out the evil J 
spirit, and immediately reftored to the poor 1 
man the noble faculties of fight and speech. 
An event so surprifing, so miraculous, and j| 
so suddenly wrought, could not fail of 
exciting the aftonifhment of the beholders ; 
and the honefl plain-hearted part of the 
nation were inclined to believe. But the 
Pharisees, who had followed him from , 
Jerusalem with the baseft intentions, were 
filled with the moft tormenting envy at ' 
seeing him perform such surprifing mir- !, 
acles ; and burning with all the rage of j 
disapointed malice, contrary to all the rules | 
of reason and the conviftion of their own 
minds, impudently and wickedly ascribed 
his miracles to the power of the devil : an 
affirmation so horrid, abominable, and i 
desperately wicked, could not escape the ; { 
notice, or fail of exciting the fharp rebukes \ 
of the Son of God ; who addrelling him- ' » 
self both to his enemies and the surround- 
ing multitudes, demonflrated the absurdity 
and impoffibility of such a conclufion from i 
the common affairs.of life. Every kingdom, \ 
said the bleffed Jesus, divided agamjt itselj \ 
IS brcmght to desolation ; and every city or i 
house divided againjl itself fJiall not Jiand : : 
and if Satan cajl out Satan, he is divided : 
agaivjl himself; how then JJiall his king- i 
dom Jiand F How foolifh and ridiculous is | 
it to suppose that the Devil would aft « 
againft himself, and undermine the founda- t 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



77 



tias of his own kingdom ! To which our 
g;at Redeemer thought fit to add, If I 
b Beelzebub cajl out devils, by whom do 
jicr children caft them out ? Therefore they 
Jail be your judges. But if Icafl out devils 
i the Spirit of God, then is the kingdom of 
'od come unto you. You did not impute 
le miracles of your prophets to Beelzebub, 
ut received them on the evidence of these 
liracles as the melfengers of God : but 
e reje6l me, who work greater and more 
lumerous miracles than they, and impute 
hem to the power of the Devil. Is this 
ondu6l confittent ; or is it poffible to 
econcile it to reason or common sense ? 
These prophets therefore (hall be your 
udges ; and they fhall condemn you. But 
f it is true, that I caft out devils by the 
\lmighty Power and Spirit of God, it 
bllows, that the kingdom of God so long 
jxpefted, and ardently defired, is going to 
3e eftablilhed amongft you. Is not the 
lorrid impudence of this blasphemy of 
^ours really aftonifhing ! But, great, as 
your crime is, it may yet be forgiven ; 
because fuller and more manifeft evidences 
of the truth of my milTion, may hereafter 
convince you of your wickedness, and 
excite you to believe : and the time is com 
ing, when the Son of man (hall be raised 
from the dead, and the gift of miracles by 
the power of the Holy Ghoft will be 
beftowed on almoft every believer. The 
nature of the MelTiah's kingdom will be 
more fully explained, and such proofs 
given, as if attended to, will be abun- 
dantly sufficient to remove your prejudices, 
and overcome your obftinacy and prevail- 
ing unbelief. But if you then ihut your 
eyes, and speak evil againft the Holy 
Ghoft, contrary to the conviftion of your 
minds, malicioufly ascribing the miracles 
wrought by his power, and his extraordi- 
nary gifts, to proceed from the prince of 
darkness, you have wilfully ftiut your eyes 
againft the light ; you have dared to insult 
the eternal God to his face ; you have 
refifted, wilfully refifted, the laft means 
which he will use to convince you : and you 
never will be forgiven, but ftiall surely fall 
under the fierceness of his wrath, both in 
this world, and that which is to come. 
Wherefore I say unto you, all manner of fn 
and blasphemy fhall be forgiven unto men : 
but the blasphemy againft the Holy Ghoji 
No. 4. 



fiall not be forgiven unto men. And zcho' 
soever speaketh a word againft the Son of 
man, it fhall be forgiven him : but whoso- 
ever speaketh againji the Holy Ghof, it fiall 
not be forgiven him, neither in this world'/ 
neither in the world to come. 

This awful and alarming denunciation 
againft the blasphemy of the Holy Ghoft, 
was probably laid down by our Saviour at 
this time, to apprise the Pharisees of their 
danger, to awaken them to a sense of their 
obftinate and envious oppofition to the 
truth, and make them afraid of the con- 
sequence, if they perfifted in such deteft- 
able calumnies, when their own hearts 
told them, that they had no foundation 
in reason, but what flowed from malice and 
resentment : but the moft powerful argu- 
ments, or the moft awful threatenings, 
had no effeft on this obftinate and per- 
verse race of mortals, who sarcaftically 
answered, Ma/ter, we would see a fign from 
thee. What aftoniftiing ftupidity ! Had he 
not, the moment before, caft out a devil, 
and reftored tlie faculties of fight and 
speech to the blind and dumb ! Had not 
he cleansed lepers, raised the dead, and 
rebuked the tempeftuous winds, and raging 
waves of the sea ! Were not these figns 
sufficient to have convinced the rfioft obfti- 
nate and bigotted mortal ! What, therefore^ 
could these ftubborn doftors of the law 
require ! Well might the great Saviour 
of the world call them a wicked, and, 
adulterous generation ; for certainly they 
could juftly pretend to no part of the 
faith and piety of their great father 
Abraham ; he believed God, and it was 
imputed to him for righteousness : but 
they, by their malicious obftinacy, and 
determined unbelief, added fin to fin, and 
plunged themselves into the depth of ini- 
quity and wickedness. Persons of such 
perverse dispofitions, and incorrigible tem- 
pers, merited no indulgence ; and, there- 
fore, our great Redeemer told them, that 
no fign ftiould be given them, but that of 
the prophet Jonah, who, by laying three 
days and three nights in the belly of the 
whale, was a type of the Son of God, 
who ftiould continue three days and three 
nights in the chambers of the grave. 

Our Lord then proceeded to observe, 
that the obftinacy, perverseness, and wick- 
edness of that generation, was greater than 



78 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



that of tlie moft barbarous, ignorant, and 
idolatrous nations, who would rise up in 
judgment with them, and condemn them. 
The people ot Nineveh repented at the 
preaching of Jonah ; and the queen of the 
South took a long journey to behold the 
■v\"isdom of Solomon : but the obftinate, 
wicked, and unbelieving Jews, would not 
repent at the preaching, and repeated 
warnings of the Son of God, nor learn 
wisdom from the Eternal Fountain of 
Wisdom itself. 

Our Lord then conluded his discourse 
with a parable, which fhewed the great 
danger of wilfully oppofing and refifting 
the truth, as such practices tend to make 
men habitually and desperately wicked, 
and, in every respeft, more obdurate and 
abandoned than before. 

Durina this dispute with the rulers of 
Israel, Jesus was informed, that his mo- 
ther and his kinsmen wailed without, de- 
firing an interview with him ; upon which. 



with a look of the tendere:,t affeHIon, 1^ 
ftretched out his hands towards his dis^ 
pies, and said. Behold my mother and tk 
b-rethren f for whosoever Jhall do the 
of viy Father which is in heaven, the sam 
IS my brother, and Jister, and motkr. Matt 
xii. 49, 50. These remarkable words ough 
to be received with the warmeft gratitude 
and the mofl exalted joy, by every Chris 
tian ; fmce from this divine declaration, i 
may be learnt, that a faith in Christ 
which works by love, and produces a 
conformity to the precepts of the gospel 
gives the believer a claim to the high title 
of a Son of the Moft High, and a near 
relation to his dear Redeemer: by this 
divine principle, the believer lays hold on 
the bleffings and privileges which belong 
to his spiritual birth, he claims a kindred 
to the fkies, he becomes acquainted with 
his union with the Divine Nature, and 
can ftand before the throne of the Eternal 
God, and call him his Father. 



CHAPTER XVL 



Jesus delivers several Parables from a Ship, to the Multitudes that were Jlanding on 
Jhore : He receives a second Vijit from his Relations : At Evening he retires to 
Capernaum, and delivers more Parables to his Disciples : Afterwards, he returns to 
Nazareth, his own City, and sends his Apoflles to preach about that Country : He 
then repairs to the Desert of Bethsaida and provides a miraculous Repajl for the whole 
Multitude. 



THE public debate in which Jesus 
was engaged with the Pharisees, 
and the miracle which was the occafion 
of it, brought together such a vaft con- 
course of people, that, for the greater 
facility of inftrufting them, our great Re- 
deemer repaired to the sca-fide. The 
croM'd prefled so close about him, that 
he M^as incommoded in his office of speak- 
ing, and, for the greater conveniency, he 
entered a (hip, and put off to some small 
diflance from the fhore, while the atten- 
tive multitudes remained on dry land : 
being thus conveniently accommodated 
for public speaking, our divine Inflruc- 
tor proceeded to lay down several pre- 
cepts of the utmoft importance, which he 
thought proper to introduce in the para- 



bolical ftile. This was a mode of in- 
flruftion very common in the Oriental 
nations, and it was the general method 
of the old prophets, John the Baptift, 
and our bleffed Saviour, to inculcate di- 
vine and moral truths, in the beautiful 
method of allufion and fable ; and some- 
times so to contrive the discourse, that 
it had an immediate reference to those 
obje6ls, which at that very time presented 
themselves to the view of the audietice. 
This method of inflru61ion was, on se- 
veral accounts, particularly adapted to 
the defigns of divine condufl, and the 
circumftances of the Jewifh nation, at 
the time of the Meffiah's appearance. 
Similitudes of this kind, are the moft 
easy and fimple methods of teaching; 



AND LIVES OF 

! they are beft accommodated to the ap- 
prehenfions of the ignorant and unlearned, 

I and are very easy to be underftood, re- 
membered, and applied ; at the same 
time, they are the fineft veil for mifte- 
ries, and the beft medium for conceal- 
ing from the proud and obftinate, those 
truths which their perverseness and infi- 
dehty render them unworthy of having 
more clearly revealed. 

These observations seem to be alluded 
to by our great Redeemer himself, when 
his disciples afked, why he taught the 

! people in parables ? Because, said he, it 

1 is given unto you to know the myjleries of 

! the kingdom oj heav n ; but to them it is 
not given : for whosoever hath, to him 
fholl he given, and he fhall have more 
abundance; hut whosoever hath not, from 
him fhall he taken away, even that he 
hath. Therefore, speak I unto them in 
parables ; because, in seeing tliey see not ; 
and in hearing they hear not, neither do 
they underjl and. Matt. xiii. ii, &c. The 
beloved disciples, whom our Redeemer, by 
his divine power had made of an humble, 
teachable dispofition, whose minds, by an 
heavenly influence, were become docile, 
apt to learn, and open to inftru6lion, were 

1 thus addrelTed by the divine Inftruftor; 

' and he gives them to underftand, that it 
would be no disadvantage to them, nor 
to any that lincerely delired to be in- 
ftrufted and attended on him in humility 
of heart, that the truths he delivered were 
clothed in parables ; for such persons 
would carefully conhder his words, and 
resort to him for their explanation : and 

I the truths themselves, clothed in this 
beautiful veil, v/ould be more attractive to 

I the humble inquiring mind ; and, when 

j carefully confidered, appear plain, fimple, 

I and easy to be underftood. 

But the proud, self-conceited Scribes 

• and Pharisees, were so blinded by their 
' prejudices, that they Would not give them- 
selves time to confider, but would heartily 
despise such methods of teaching, and 

I condemn, as low and contemptible, the 
plain allufions in which the divine truths 
were represented. Our great Redeemer 

: did not alter his manner of teaching, 
for their sakes, but drelfed the great truths 
oi the gospel in such metaphorical robes 
as they did heartily despise, and which 



HIS APOSTLES. 79 

would for ever conceal them from persons 
of their temper and condu6l. Nor need 
it be wondered at, the blefied Jesus fur- 
ther observed, that he took this method 
with this sort of men ; for it had been 
prophefied of him, that he fhould open 
his mouth in parables, and utter things 
which had been kept secret from the foun- 
dation of the world. And concerning the 
pride, obftinacy, perverseness, and in- 
fidelity of the rulers of the Jews, Isaiah 
had long ago prophefied to them, that, hy 
hearing ye fhall hear, and not underftand ; 
and seeing ye ftiall see, and fhall not per^ 
ceive : for this peoples heart is waxed 
gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, 
and their eyes they have closed; left at 
any time they fhould see with their eyes, 
and hear with their ears, and ftiould un- 
derftand with their heart, and fiould be 
converted, and I fhould hml them. 

There is some little variation between 
the words, as quoted by our Saviour, 
and those found in the prophecy of Isaiah, 
but the meaning is the same in each, and 
the sense manifeftly is, that the Jewilh 
nation fhould hear the do6trines of the 
gospel, but not underftand them ; and see 
the miracles wrought in confirmation of 
the truth of those doftrines, but not per- 
ceive them to be wrought by the power 
of God : not because the evidences pro- 
duced by our great Redeemer, were insuf- 
ficient to convince a judicious and impar- 
tial inquirer after truth ; but because the 
corruption and depravity of the hearts of 
the proud Pharisees, would not suffer them, 
to examine and weigh these evidences ; 
for the fins of that people had hardened 
their hearts, their pride and vanity had 
fhut their ears, and their hypocrisy and 
bigotted adherence to tradition, and forced 
interpretations of the law, had closed 
their eyes ; so that the bright rays of 
divine truth could not fhine upon their 
dark minds, nor the powerful voice of 
heavenly wisdom, awaken their attention, 
or command their affent. 

Such were the reasons aifigned by our 
great Redeemer, for his teaching the 
people in parables ; and then he proceed- 
ed to remind his disciples of the great 
privileges they enjoyed, in having the 
opportunity of learning, from his heaven- 
ly lips, those things which the prophets of 



8o 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



old so einncflly dtfiicd to know and un- 
derllcind : But bUJjid, said he, are your 
c\fs, jor ihcy sir ; nnd your ears, for they 
hear: for verily I say unto you, that many 
prophets and righteous men have dejired to 
see those things whiehye see, and have not 
seen them ; and to hear those things zvhich 
ye hear, and have not heard them. 

The firll parable which tlie blcflcd 
Jesus delivered to the niukitude, was 
that of the sower, who caft his seed into 
different kinds of soil, the produft of 
which was answerable to the nature of 
tlie ground; some yielding a large increase, 
and some none at all ; by which he ele- 
gantly displayed the success of his own 
do6lrine, amongft the several kinds of 
hearers to which it would be preached. 
A sozuer, said he, went forth to sow ; and 
xvhen he sowed, some seeds fell by the way 
fide, and the fowls came and devoured 
tliem up : some fellupon fiony places, where 
they had not much earth ; and forthwith 
they sprung up, because they had no deepness 
of earth ; and when the sun was up, they 
were scorched; and because they had no 
root, they zuithered away. And some fell 
among thorns, and the thorns sprung up 
and choked them; but other fell into good 
ground, and brought Jorth fruit, some an 
hundred fold, some fixty foldj some thirty 
fold. 

This parable w^as particularly proper to 
be confidered by the multitudes who at- 
tended on the Son of God, when such 
vaft numbers heard his discourses, and so 
few practised his precepts, or profited by 
the heavenly doftrines which he taught. 
Not only the multitude, but the disciples 
heard him with a mixture of pleasure and 
surprise; and, not underftanding his mean- 
ing, they were impatient to hear it ex- 
plained ; and were very urgent to know, 
wliv lie chose that method of inllruftion. 

The la 11 of these queflions, our Lord 
answered in the manner before related ; 
and then, with condescending kindness, 
proceeded to give them the explanation 
of the parable of the sower: When any 
one, said he, heareih the zcord of the king- 
(lord, and underjlandeth it not, then cometh 
tlie wicked one, and catcheth away tJiat 
xohich was sown in his heart. This is he 
"lohich received the seed by the way fide. 
The persons who are here represented as 



hearing the word of God without under- 
Handing, are those careless hearers, whose 
minds are diverted from attending to those 
tliings which concern their everlalling 
peace, by the gay, trifling amusements, 
and alluring objtfts of sense. Such per- 
sons hear the word of God with so little 
attention, that they scarcely know what 
they hear ; and, for want of an habit of 
serious thinking, their ideas are loose and 
scattered, and an universal diffipation of 
mind drives out all solid refleftion. Such 
persons as these, are at all times proper 
objefts for the great enemy of mankind to 
work upon ; he well knows how to take 
advantage of the vacancy of thought, which 
exposes such minds to his malicious at- 
tempts ; and, where he finds the mind 
empty, he takes care to enter there, and 
fill it with such furniture, as soon erases 
the flight impreflions it may have received 
by hearing the word of God. 

The second kind of hearers, described 
in the parable of the sow^er, are those who 
receive the word witji a greater degree of 
attention, and in whom it produces an out- 
ward reformation of condufl and behavi- 
our ; but, not being imprefled on the mind 
by the operation of the Divine Spirit, it 
does not effeft a real change of heart. Such 
persons, w^hile things go on smooth, and 
they meet with success and encourage- 
ment in the w^orld, may make a profes- 
fion, and appear to others, and think 
themselves religious ; but, like seed sown 
on hard, ftony ground, which, though 
it springs up, and looks green for a while, 
yet, when the sun fhines hot and bright, 
soon withers for want of root ; they cannot 
ftand in the day of adverfity and trouble : 
jor when tribulation, or persecution ariseth 
because of the word, by and by they are of- 
fended. 

The third kind of hearers, are those 
who seem to receive the word of God with 
great earneftness and attention ; but how- 
ever they may be delighted with it in 
the house of God, they do not carry a 
savor of it into the world. In some, the 
toil, trouble, care, and vexation arifing 
from their circumftances in the world, so 
fill the mind, engage the attention, over- 
whelm the spirit, and oppress the heart, 
that, like a plant incumbered and sur- 
rounded with rank, poisonous weeds, the 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



81 



word of God, which they have heard, 
cannot grow; the noble truths of the gos- 
pel cannot have their proper influence on 
the mind, but gradually fmk and decline, 
till at laft they are difbelieved, or totally 
forgotten. Others, who meet with their 
defired success in their worldly affairs, are 
so affiduous in the pursuit, and so entirely 
devoted to the acquifition of wealth, that 
every thing to them seems little and low 
which does not produce some temporal 
advantage : as riches increase, they set 
their hearts upon them, and a worldly 
spirit chokes the word, and it becoineth 
unfruitful. 

In oppofition to those unprofitable 
hearers of the word, a fourth sort are 
represented in this parable, whose hearts, 
by the Holy Spirit, are prepared for the 
reception of divine truth : for, as the beft 
of ground, except it be ploughed, harrow- 
ed, and cleansed by the hufbandman, will 
not receive the seed, nor produce a plenti- 
ful harveft ; so the heart of man, except 
it be changed by divine power, will not 
receive the word of God, nor produce 
such fruit as the gospel requires : but, 
when the heavenly seed falls on those 
hearts which have been wrought upon 
and prepared by the Divine Spirit, the 
word is received with gladness, it takes 
deep root in the mind, it operates on 
all the powers and faculties of the soul, 
it terminates in obedience to the pre- 
cepts of the gospel, and brings forth 
fruit to the honour and intereft of the 
cause of Christ, in proportion to the 
capacities and circumflances of the dif- 
ferent subjefts on vrhich it falls, in sortu 
an hundred fold, in some fixiy, and in 
some thirty. 

Our great Redeemer, having finifhed 
his explanation of the parable of the 
sower, he turned to his disciples, and ex- 
plained to them, by the fimilitude of a 
lighted candle, the use they were to make 
of the knowledge which they would ac- 
(^uire by converfmg with him, and receiv- 
mg his divine inftruaions. Is a candle, 
said he, brought to be put under a bufiel. 
\ or under a bed, and not to be set on a 
candleftick ? For there is nothing hid zvhich 
Jhall not be manifejled, neither was any 
thing kept secret, hut it fioidd come abroad. 
By which the divijie Inftrudor gave them 
No. 4. 



to underfland, that, though now these 
heavenly truths were veiled in (hades and 
figures, and taught to mankind in pa- 
rables, the time would come, that they 
would be more clearly revealed, and as 
a lighted candle, exalted on high, illumi- 
nates the whole apartment where it is 
placed, so fliall the brightness of divine 
truth, by their preaching, be spread abroad, 
and enlighten the dark nations of the earth : 
therefore, as the disciples of Christ were 
intended to convey the precepts of hea- 
venly inftru6lion to the dark, unenlight- 
ened nations of the world, cur Lord re- 
minded them, that it v/as a matter of 
the higheft importance, that they fhould 
be rightly and fully taught those truths 
they were to bear to the remoteft na- 
tions : and, therefore, it behoved them to 
hear him with the utmoft care and atten- 
tion. Take heed, said he, what ye hear; 
zoith what vieasure ye mete, it fiall be 
measured to you; and unto you that hear 
fall more be given. 

After our Lord had been thus dis- 
courfing to his disciples, he turned to the 
multitude on the fhcre, and. addrefTing 
them in the moft pleafmg and powerful 
manner, he delivered to them the narable of 
the enemy's sowing tares amongft the 
wheat. Ihc kingdom of heaven, said he, 
IS likened to a man zchicli sozced good seed in 
his field: hut while men fept, his enemy 
came and sczocd tares amongft ike wheat, 
and went his zvay. But whtn the blade 
was sprung up, and brcught forth fruit, 
then appeared the tares also. So the servants 
of the hufbandman came and said unto him. 
Sir, didf not thou sow good seed in thy 
field? from whence ih.n h-ath it tares? He 
sai^d unto them, an enemy hath done this. 
1 ne servants said unto lum, Wilt ihou then 
tho.t zoe go and gather them up ? But he 
said. Nay ; lef, while ye gather up the tares, 
ye root up also the zcheat with thevi. Let 
both grozo together until the haivef ; crd 
in the time of harvef, J zcill say unfo the 
reapers, Gather ye thic tares, and bind ih'.m 
in bundles to burn them : but gather the 
reheat into my barn. 

This parable, as our Lord afterwards 
explained it 10 his disciples, relates to the 
different ftates of men at the end of the 
world. The hi-fbandman is our great Re- 
deem^er himself; tl:e field is the Chriftian 



82 



LIFK OF JESUS CHRIST 



I 



churcli, phmicd in various piMts of tl;c 
world ; those Chi illians who are cnableti l-y 
the Holy Spirit to love tbc Lord Jf.sus 
CiiKisT, and bring fiuii worthy their higli 
profeihon, are the wheat ; ai d those who 
make an empty profefhoii, without know- 
ing the power of true religion, are the tares. 
Tiiese are seduced into the paths ot wick- 
edness by the enemy of God and maxt , 
and the parable elegantly represents, the 
mixed ilate of the prolelling church on 
eaith, and the deplorable end of the hypo- 
crite and those who know not God. Such 
charaflers as these may mix witli the real 
Chnitians, and may deceive for a time, by 
afTumiiig the appearance of superior san6li- 
ty, and llriftness of life ; yet they will not 
fail sooner or later, to betray themselves, 
and make it manifcil: that they are but tares 
amongd the wheat. Yet we are taught by 
this parable, how finccrely soever we may 
Willi to free the church from all corruption, 
both in do6lrine and practice, it is not law- 
ful for us to affume the prerogative of the 
great Judge of heaven and earth, by per- 
secuting' or following with any corporal 
punilhment, any who we apprehend to be 
hypocrites and corrupters of . true religion. 
The tarts and the wheat are to g,row 
together till harvcll:, they are not to be 
separated, hit by miftaking the charafter 
ol the persons, we bellow those censures 
on the true Chriflian which belong to the 
hypocrite : but the harvefl will come 
when they will be separated by our great 
Redeemer himself, and his attending an- 
gels ; then the tares will be bound up in 
bundles and burnt, but the wheat carefully 
gathered into the barn. For at the end- 
of the world, our great Redeemer will 
diflinguifii between the pretended and the 
real Chriltian ; the wicked w^ill be con- 
demned to eternal torment, but the righte- 
C)us will be received to life eternal ; when 
they Jhall fl,ive forth, as the swi. in the 
kinjrdom of their father. 

The next parable which our exalted Re- 
deemer thought ht to propose to the liflen- 
ing rnukitudes, was that of the .seed which 
sprang up and grew imperceptibly. So is 
the kingdom of God, said he, as if a rtiaii 
fhoidd cnjl seed into the ground, and jhouLd 
jlenp, and rise night and day, and the seed 
Jhould spring and grow up he knoweth not 
how. For the earth bringeth forth Jrut of 



itself; firjl the blade, and then ilie em. But 
zohen ttie frintis brought forth, immediatdy 
he putteih m the fckle, because the harvefl : 
IS come. 1 his beautiful pi^hire represents 
the gradual and hlent progress of the gospd 
in the heart of man ; as the hufbandTnan 
does not by any power ol his own, cnuse 
the seed to qyow when he has sown it ; but 
the blade and fruit are produced by the 
power of the gncat Creator, and by those 
laws of nature wh.ieh he hath eflabhfhed in 
the vegetable creation : so the seed of 
divine truth do-es not thrive in the heart of 
man by the pctver of the preacher, but by 
the hlent and efficacious energy of the 
Spirit of God. Thus Jksus and his 
apoflles, having preached the gospel in the 
world, and taught the doctrines of true 
religion, they gave no commiflion to any 
to use the teirroj-s of fire and sword to 
propagate them, hut left it to the filent and 
secret influence of the Holy Spirit. And 
it is very profciable that the bleffed Jesus 
spoke this paraiile to convince the Jews of 
their miflake, im suppofing that their Mes- 
fiah would set up a temporal kingdom, and 
advance^ his do mioion by the means which 
are used in the wc)rhi to rise to sovereign 
greatness: and also it might be intended 
to quiet , the nr\inOis of his disciples, and 
prevent them from beimg discouraged when 
they saw that an iiTimediate and rapid 
success didinot attend their labours in the 
gospel. 

The next parable w hich Jesus spake to 
the multitude was tl lat ol the grain of 
muftard seed, which ii i Palefline and other 
parts of the Eaft', rise s fiom a small seed 
to a large spreading tr ee. 7 he kingdrm of 
heaven, said the divine Jnflru8or, ts like to 
a grain of mvfard seci i, which a man took 
and sowed m his- fidd ; which indeed is the 
leajl of all seeds i but ix ihcn it is grown, it is 
the great eft among he? 'bs, and becomcth a 
tree, so that the birds c / the air come and 
lodge in the branches thereof. This may ' 
be ( onfjdcred as a conti iti nation of the sub" 
jeft of the former paral ble ; for though the 
gospel seed may at f lift seem small and j 
contemptible, arifitig fi om the crucifixion 
of its divine Author, tl le inveterate hatred 
and hnal unbelief of t he Jews, the mor- 
tifying nature of its pre crpts, the weakness : 
of the persons employe »d to propagate its 'j 
divine truths, and the small number aiid 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



meannc'ss of those who firfl; received it ; 
yet being founded on eternal truth, and 
supported by divine power, it would in- 
crease to a surprifing extent and greatness, 
filling the whole world, and affording 
divine inftru£lion and comfort to persons 
D^ all nations, who fhould enjoy the 
high privileges of Meffiah's kingdom, 
wiiile the Jews, for their wickedness in 
oppoling the truth, fhould be left in un- 
belief, cut off from being a nation, and 
scattered like chaff over the face of the 
earth. 

Our great Redeemer then concluded his 
discourse with another parable of nearly 
the same import with the foregoing. The 
kingdom of heaven, said he, is Like unto 
leaven, which a woman took and hid in three 
measures of meal, till the whole is Leavened : 
alluding to the filent and elfedual spread- 
ing of the gospel, by the powerful influence 
of the Holy Spirit, and prevailing efficacy 
of divine truth. 

While our Lord was employed in de- 
livering tliese elegant and beautiful dis- 
courses, his mother and brethren came a 
second time, defiring an interview with 
him ; perhaps they were unwilling that he 
fhould weary himself with the continual 
fatigue of preaching, and did not approve 
of his making himself so public, and ap- 
piearing in so diflinguilhed a charafter 
aroongft such vaft multiiudes of people : 
and as it hereafter will appear in the course 
of this hiftory, that his brethren did not 
believe in him, it is very likely they defign- 
ed to take him home with them, and per- 
suade him to attend to secular affairs. But 
our exalted Redeenaer was not to be di- 
verted from following his Fathers work 
and performing the great duties of his 
mifiiQfi. On these grounds he appers to 
have declined the defired interview, with 
this answer. My mother and my bretliren 
arc time who- hear the zvord of God, and 
do it. 

Evening now approaching, the blelfed 
Jesus dismiffed the muhitude, and retired 
with his disciples to an house in Caper- 
,naam ; where, at their defire, he explained 
to them the parable of the tares of the field, 
in the manner before related ; and then he 
proceeded to deliver to them the parable 
of the treasure hid in the field, and the 
parable of the pearl of grear price. The 



«3 

firfl of these parables holds forth the abun- 
dant glory, excellency, and value of the 
gospel, above all earthly pofTeffions ; and 
the laft denotes the wilUnsrness of all those 
who are made acquainted with the high 
excellency and abundant worth of the 
gospel, to part with their all in this world 
to obtain it. But, that the disciples might 
be informed that a mixed multitude of 
people would make a profeffion of the 
gospel, and the hypocrites would be blend- 
ed with the Chriftians in such a manner as 
it would be difficult to separate them, he 
compared the gospel church to a net, which 
enclosed every sort of fifh, good and bad, 
but were carefully separated when they 
were drawn to land ; the good were pre- 
served, and the bad thrown away: alluding 
to the great day of universal and eternal 
decifion and separation, when the righteous 
will be received into life eternal, and the 
wicked caft into hell. 

Our Lord having finifhed these dis- 
courses, he afked his disciples if they 
underftood them, -they answered in the 
affirmative ; and our great Redeemer ad- 
ded, that every teacher of the gospel 
ought to resemble a person whose house 
was completely furnifhed, and bringeth 
forth out of his treasures things new and 
old. 

Not long after this, our great Redeem- 
er left Capernaum, and repaired to Naza^ 
reth, the city where he had spent his 
younger years, and where he had dwelt 
with his relations till he entered on his 
public miniflry, and preached, amongft 
his old friends and countrymen, the glad- 
tidings of the kingdom. But they, though 
ailonifhed at his do6irine, could not ove-r- 
come the prejudices they had formerly 
conceived againft him, on account of the 
meanness of his family, and therefore 
would not own him to be the Meffiah ; 
they could not overcome the ftrong na- 
tional prejudice they had conceived againft 
their promised Deliverer's appearing in a 
low, mean condition in the world ; nor 
could they give up their ideas of the glor}' 
and grandeur of the Meffiah's appearance, 
so far as to suppose it poffible that Jesus 
fhould be the man. Our Lord, therefore, 
finding them in the same temper of mind 
as when he formerly vifited them, did 
not choose to ftay long amongft them, 



84 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



but (le-oavted and tauglit in the ncmh- 
bounn": villajjcs. 

n o ^ . ^ 

Durint^ oui Saviours Hay at Nazareth. 
he stMii out Ins (Hsciplcs to preach in dif- 
lerent parts of Gahlee, and proclaim the 
""Ia(i-ti(Hnirs that God was g-oma; to eftab- 
lilh the glorious kingdom or the Mclhah, 
in wiiich he Avouki be wordiipped in spirit 
and truth ; and that they might confirm 
the dodrines thev tauijht, and convince the 
wiiole nation that they received their com- 
mi(ii:)n from the Son of God, they were 
endowed with the power of working 
miracles. The evangelilLs have not in- 
iorined us how long they continued their 
preaching; but it is reasonable to suppose 
that they spent a confiderable time in car- 
rying on their work in several parts of the 
country. 

The people perceiving such wonderful 
works performed by the disciples of 
Christ, were exceedingly amazed, and 
theii- expe6lations were raised very high ; 
for they could not recoiled that the old 
prophets had ever given to their servants 
the power of working miracles, and, of 
consequence, they concluded that Jesus 
mufl be greater than any of them. This 
extraordinary circumftance raised the at- 
tention of the nation, and spread his fame so 
effedually about the country, that it reach- 
ed the ears of Herod Antipas, thetetrarch 
of Galilee. This prince having lately, in 
an unjufl; and cruel manner, taken away 
the life of John the Baptift, he heard of 
th? mighty works performed by Christ, 
and his disciples, with the utmofl uneafi- 
viess and concern. His attendants endea- 
voured to difTipate his fears, by telling him 
ihat one of the old prophets was risen from 
tlie dead: but a consciousness of his guilt 
would not permit him to refl ; for he ap- 
prehended, that the illuflrious person he 
iiad so bitsely murdered, was risen from 
the dead, and w(;uld doubtless be re- 
venged on his murderer. He said unto 
liis servants, Th?s is John the Baptijl ; 
ke is risen from the dead ; and therejore 
mighty works do JJiexo forth themselves in 
him. 

It has been before related, on what occa- 
fion and in what manner the Baptifl was 
put to death ; and the news of this mourn- 
ful event having reached the disciples of 
Christ, while ihcy were preaching in 



Galilee, those of them who had formerly 
been the disciples of John, went and paid 
their laft rcspctts to the remains of their 
mafler, whom having decently interred, 
they carried the tidings to Jesus. When 
our great Redeemer had heard of the death 
of his relation and fore-runner, he found 
himself disposed for retirement, and sought 
the filent (hades of the desert of Bethsaida : 
he departed as private as pofTible, that he 
might not be incommoded by the multi- 
tude, and for the greater secrecy he went 
by sea. But every precaution was insuf* 
ficient to screen him from, the penetrating 
eyes of the multitude who followed him ; 
and his departure was not long concealed, 
for great numbers repaired to the desert, 
and found out the place of his retreat. 
The miracles which he performed, the 
benefit which the helpless and miserable 
always found from his goodness, and the 
flrain of divine eloquence which flowed 
from his lips, had such an effed on the 
honeff, openhearted part of the nation, 
that the multitudes who had seen the 
wonders he performed, and heard his 
heavenly voice, thought no difficulties too 
great to surmount, no hardfhips too great 
to endure, nor no place too retired for 
them to penetrate, in order to attend on 
his miniftry. 

The kind and compafTionate Saviour of 
finners, seeing the multitude had found 
out his place of retreat, and beholding 
them crowding about him, he viewed 
them with tenderness and love, because 
tiiey were as fheep having no fliepherd ; 
for, having none to inltrud them in 
those things which concerned their ever- 
laffing peace, they wandered about with- 
out a guide, without a defender. Their 
fituation indeed, was like that of a large 
flock of flieep wandering upon the moun- 
tains, without a fhepherd to feed and de- 
fend them from the ravenous jaws of the 
various beafts of prey which waited to 
devour them. The bleffed Jesus, there- 
fore, that good Sfiepherd, who came to lay 
down his life for the fieep, beheld them 
with compafhon : that same pity which 
brought him down from the throne of 
glory in heaven, for the sake of his loft 
and wandering fheep, now brought him to 
this multitude of people : his heavenly 
goodness healed all the fick amongftthem, 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



and from his lips they heard the words of 
• eternal life. 

The divine Inftruftor continued his 
heavenly discourses, and attended to the 
oreat work of healing the diseased, not 
-dismilTing the people, though the day wore 
away, and the fhades of the evening were 
approaching. His disciples, thinking this 
circumftance had escaped his notice, 
■ thought proper to remind him, that the 
day was far advanced, and the place a 
solitary desert, where neither food nor 
lodging could be procured : it would, 
-therefore, be convenient to dismiss the 
• people, that they might repair to the 
towns or villages on the borders of the 
wilderness, and provide themselves food 
and other accommodations ; for they had 
nothing to eat, But our Lord informed 
I them, that he did not intend to dismiss 
I -the surrounding multitude so haftily, for, 
; as they were weary and faint in the wil- 
derness, it was his intention to give them 
1 a repaft : at the same time, to try what 
opinion his disciples entertained of his 
, power, he turned to Philip, who was well 
■ acquainted with the country, and inquired. 
Whence JhalL we buy bread, that these may 
eat? Philip, aftonifl:ed at the proposal, 
confidering the vaftness of the multitude, 
and the enormous quantity of provifions 
I which would be neceffary to supply them, 
he apprehended it impoffible to procure 
them in the desert ; and not confidering 
his Mailer's pov/er to supply them by ex- 
traordinajy means, he replied, Txco hundred 
pennywcrth of bread is not sufficient for 
them, that eveiy one of them may take 
a little. Our bleffed Lord might juftly 
on this, as on a future occafion, have re.- 
■:plied. Have I been so Iwig time with you, 
and haf thou not known me Philip ! But 
he ^did not reproach his disciples with 
•their inattention to his former character 
and conducl, but commanded them to 
give the multitude to eat. The disciples, 
Hot yet underftanding the defign of their 
Mailer, repeated the objeftion of Philip, 
and proposed to go and buy a quantity 
of provifions : but this was not their 
Lord's intention, who, without makino- 
them a direft answer, afked them, how 
many loaves they had. It does not appear, 
that they had any bread in poffeffion ; for 
after the disciples had made a dilio-ent in- 
No. 4. " ) 



quiry, Andrew came and informed his 
Mafter, that there was a lad amonaft the 
multitude, that had five barley loaves, 
and two small filhes, a quantity so incon- 
fiderable, that they were afhamed to men- 
tion it; WJmt are they, said the disciples, 
amongf so many ? And what, indeed, 
would they have been among such mul- 
titudes of people, if they had not been 
diftributed by the all-creating hand of the 
Son of God. 

Je s u s, notwithftanding the smallness of 
the number of loaves, and scantiness of 
the provifion, ordered them to be brought 
to him : and at the same time commanded 
the multitude to fit down on the grass, 
and ordered his disciples 10 arrange them 
in companies at convenient diflances. that 
their number might be ascertained, and 
that they might be regularly served. In 
obedience to his command, the people 
sat down as they were ordered, no doubt 
wondering what would be the consequence 
of such an arrangement, and what bene- 
volent aclion our great Redeemer was 
about to perform. 

The multitude thus seated in order, 
our Lord, in open view, took the five 
loaves and two small fiflies in his hands, 
and the whole multitude had an oppor- 
tunity of beholding what a small quan- 
tity of provifions, in the hands of the 
Creator of all things, were sufficient to 
provide a repaft for such a number of 
persons, as were then affembled. The 
great maffer of the feaft then looked up 
to heaven, and returned thanks to his 
heavenly Father, for his all-preserving 
and all-supporting goodness, manifefted at 
all times to his creatures, but particularly 
for his paternal care, in providing for 
their present refrefhment ; he praised his 
Almighty Father, for the miracles which 
he had been enabled to perform for the 
benefit of mankind, and particularly for 
that which he was now going to per- 
form, for the refrefhment of the multi- 
tude, who had left their habitations with 
defires to see his mighty works, and hear 
his words, and followed him into the de- 
sert, where they were wear)' and faint for 
want of provifions. After which, our great 
Redeemer bleffed the bread, and his di- 
vine bleffmg had so wonderful an effecl, 
that the five small barely loaves and two 
X 



86 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



drv finie> wmv multiplied to a (juantity 
sulfioient to satisfy the craving appetites 
of ten thousand persons ; lor the men 
were five tliousand, and it is very probable, 
the \\'ome!i antl (.hddren mighi not be 
less. The great Mailer ol' the leall diliri- 
biHcd to his disei[>les. and they served 
the multitude as thev sal on the grass ; 
and so pleniiiul were the jMovilions, that 
every one was satisfied, and such fulness 
eroN\-ned oiu' oreat Redeemer's board, 
tliat, when all the people had eat and 
were satisfied, there were twelve balkets 
filled with the broken meat. 

Idius, th.e great Son of God provided 
a fead in the desert, for the people who 
followed him : and though they had no 
canopy but the azure Iky, no table but 
the verdant grass, no better fare than 
barely-bread and dried fifli, and no drink 
but the clear spring ; yet they were me re 
honoured by the presence of the illuilri- 
ous founder of the feaft, than ever was a 
royal banquet, which was given by the 
Alfvrian or Perfian kings; and doubtless 
th re was more heart4ck joy, and solid 
satisfatlion at this feaft, than ever was 
found at the noble banquet of the gor- 
geous Ahasuerus, or the splendid enter- 
tainment of the imperious Belfliazzar. 

Ha\ e we not reason to wonder at the 
obhinacy and perverseness of the heads 
of the Jewifh nation, that such a manifefl 
display of divine power would not con- 
vince them. The account of this miracle, 
as recorded by the several evangelifls, is 
very plain and circumflantial ; and, it may 
be observed, that the particular circum- 
llances of time and place, tended to make 
it more wonderful, more conspicuous, and 
less liable to objections and cavils. The 
place was a desert, where no bread could 
be procured, and therefore, it is manifcft, 
beyond contradiftion, that it muft be 
produced by a miracle. Had this repafl 
been given to the surrounding multitude, 
atone of the towns or villages, it might 
have been objefted, that bread had been 
secretly supplied : but neither the Phari- 
sees of those days, nor the infidels of ours, 
can teil as, how it was pofiible for any 
deception of that kind to be pratlised in 
the desert. And it may be further observed, 
that this mighty work was performed in the 
evening, when the people had been faffing 



all day, and, with the fatigue of travelling, 
w^tre, doubtless, weary and very hungry. 
Had this repafl been given in the morn- 
ing, the miracle might have been depre- 
ciated, by suppofing, that the people did 
not fhmd in need of refrefhment, and this 
treat might have been represented as un- 
neceflary : but the particular circumffances 
attending this wonderful work, cut off 
every lhadow of an objeftion, and abun- 
dantly proved, that 6W canjurnijh a table 
in the loildcrncss. 

The confidcraiion of the wonderful 
power of the Son of God, thus mani* 
fefled in procuring bread in the wilder- 
ness for so many thousands of people, 
ougi t to relieve the cares, and quiet the 
minds of his people concerning their 
daily bread. With what joy and satisfac- 
tion of soul ought we to confider, that we 
are under the immediate care of our hea- 
venly Father, whose paternal goodness 
provides subfiftence for all his creatures ; 
and, zvlio optnctk his hand, and saiisjieth 
the defire oj every living thing. It is 
the beloved Son of the Eternal Father, 
that fhowers down such a wide profufion 
of bleffings on a thankless world ; and, 
according to the beautif ul language of the 
Psalmiff , vijiteth the earth and blcjfeth it ; 
who maketh it very plenteous, who water etk 
her furrows, and sendeth rain into tlie little 
vallies thereof ; tuho maketh it soft with 
Jhowers, and blejfeih the increase thereof; 
who crovmeth the year with his goodness, 
zohile his clouds drop fatness, making the 
vallies fland so thick with corn, that they 
laiifrh and fing. With what thankfulness 
ancl praise ought we to behold the conftant 
cffefts of that heavenly goodness, which 
supplies the whole creation with food : 
and how entiiely ouglit we to rely on the 
paternal care of the great Parent of na- 
ture, who manifefls his goodness, and dis- 
plays his bounty to an undeserving world, 
by giving them rain and fruitful seasons ^ 
and filling their hearts with food and 
gladness. 

Nor fhould we be unmindful of the ma* 
nifefl exertion of divine power, in the 
conflant supplies which are provided for 
a world of creatures, and in the abundant 
provifion which is made for the daily sup- 
port of all mankind. Is it any less a mi- 
racle, that the supreme Lord of universal 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



87 



nature, fhould, every day, support and 
feed the whole race of mankind, and all 
the brute creation, than that he fhould 
feed ten thou::and persons in the v/ilder- 
ness, with five loaves and two small filhes ? 
What proportion does ten thousand per- 
sons bear to all the myriads of men on 
the face of the earth, who are daily led by 
it's fruits ? And is not the increase of those 
fruits as great a miracle, and as manifefl 
an exertion of divine power, as the increase 
of the bread by the blelTing of our great 
Redeemer. 

If we had hearts to confider the 
works of God with attention and care, 
we fiiould perceive the manifefl exer- 
tions of his power, in the secret opera- 
tions of Nature, and as clear proofs of 
hh divinity in her regular productions, 
a* in the moft extraordinary and miracu- 
lous events. The marks of divine power 
are equally seen in the wine, which arises 
from the moifture of the earth, through 
the tubes of vegetation, and is received 
from the branches of the vine ; as in that 
inftantaneoufly made from water at the 
marriage at Cana. Nor ought they less 
%o be regarded in the corn, gradually ri- 
pened, and made int6 bread Tor the sup- 
port of all mankind ; than in the bread 
miraculoufly bleffed to the support of the 
multitude in the wilderness : but we are 
very prone to overlook the common 
operations of creative Wisdom and Power, 
without conftdering, that, if we are unaf- 



fefted with the divine munificence and 
bounty, so manifelHy and richly displayed 
in the works of nature and Providence, 
there is much reason to conclnde, that 
outward miracles would not awaken us to 
a sense of our duty, nor effe61:ually mend 
our hearts : we are, however, very apt 
to deceive ourselves in this particular, 
and often led to conclude, that had we 
been present at so ftupendous a miracle, 
as that we are now confidering, we fhould 
have adored the divine hand that wrought 
it, and never have forsaken the Lord of 
life. But, alas, if all the display of divine 
wisdom and goodness in the works of 
creation ; if all the evidences of the omni- 
potence of the Son of God, in the con- 
flant supplies which he provides for his 
numerous creatures ; if the conffant mani- 
feflations of his goodness to ourselves, in 
providing for us, and feeding us the whole 
course of our lives; will not elevate our 
hearts, and raise them to himself in gra- 
titude and joy, there is the higheft reason 
to conclude, that, had we seen the bleffed 
Jesus feed ten thousand men, women, 
and children, with five loaves and two 
fifhes; yea, had we been partakers our- 
selves of this miraculous repafl, we 
fhould have been like many, who really 
enjoyed these privileges, yet, afterwards 
took offence at some of his words, which 
they called hard sayings, and walked no 
more with him. 



88 LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



CHAPTER XVII. 



The. Multitudes, after having been viiraculoujiy Jed in the Wilderness, attempt to take 
Cjirist by force, and VKike him King : He Jinins tlinr Imhortmiity by withdrawing 
himself from them: He walkeih on )he Sea to his Disc J)l.es : He saves Peter, who 
de/ircd to accompany him, but was fnking for xeunl of Faith. Christ disputes 
zcith the Jews in the Synagogue of Capernaum, and declaretli himselj to be the Bread 
oj Lfe : He goes to Jermalem, at the PaJJover ; then returns to Galilee, and reproves 
the Pharisees for their Superjlition. 



WHEN tlie wondering multitudes 
had partook ot" the miraculous 
banquet, prepared for them by our great 
Redeemer, a sudden flow of grladness and 
elation of mind ran through the desert : 
every eye was hxed on the great Founder 
of the feaft ; every heart was glad, and 
every tongue resounded his praise. 

And now, being thoroughly convinced, 
that he was their promised Mefliah, and 
having no notion of the reign of the 
Mcfhah. but that of his setting up a tempo- 
ral kingdom, they reverenced him as the 
great deliverer of their nation, and flood 
determined immediately to make him 
King, whether he consented to it or not. 
Loud acclamations resounded through 
the woods and ^yilds, and the voice of 
exultation and triumph ran along the fide 
of the mountain where the miracle had 
been performed : the disciples seemed to 
join with the multitude in their defires, 
and every thing was preparing to proclaim 
him King. 

Je s u s, to prevent the execution of their 
delign, without their perceiving his inten- 
tion, sent his disciples away in a boat, with 
orders to sail to Bethsaida. The multi- 
tude were very willing to let the disciples 
depart, vrhen they saw that Jesus did not 
go with them ; perhaps, they imagined, 
that the disciples were sent to provide 
such things as were neceflary againfh he 
afiumed the kingdom ; nor did they refuse 
to disperse when our Lord dismiffed them, 
no doubt, <lcfigning to return in the 
morning; which, we find, was really the 
case. 

Having thus sent the disciples, and 
the multitude av/ay, Jesus ascended to 
the summit of tlie mountain alone, spend- 
2:ig the night in heavenly contemplation, 



; and ardent prayers to his almighty Fa- 
ther. 

But the disciples, meeting with a con- 
trary wind, could not continue their course 
to Bethsaida, which lay about two leagues 
northward ( f the desert mountain, where 
the multitude had been miraculoufly fed. 
They, however, did all in their power to 
land as near the city as pcifible: but a 
tempeft anhng, they were toiled all night 
in the tumultuous sea, without being able 
to make the dehr«d port. At the con- 
clufion of the fourth watch, which was 
about five o'clock in the morning, they 
were advanced no further than about a 
league from the fhore ; they were toffed 
by the foaming waves, and opposed in 
their course by the fiormy wind ; and, 
though they toiled hard, had no prospeft 
of reaching the place where they defired 
to land. 

Our Lord had, from the mountain, be- 
held the diftress of his disciples, and was 
now coming to their relief, though they 
had not the leafl expe6lation of his pre- 
sence. Thus the Chriftian, when Itorms 
and tempefts of trouble and affliftion 
overtake him, is too prone to forget his 
almighty support, and overlook the pro- 
mise of his great deliverer : but, it would 
be well for him to remember, that the 
bleffed Jesus behrlds every particular of 
his diflress, and hath not forgotten to be 
gracious, but, in his own time and way 
will certainly appear in all his mightiness 
to save, and work out his deliverence. Nor 
ought it to be forgotten, that the time 
when human wisdom fails, when our dis- 
tress and trouble arises to its higheft pitch, 
when there appears no refuge, no help, no 
deliverer, then is the time for a God to 
manifrfl his divine power; and, at such a 



AND LIVES OF 

time, he hath often been found to be nigh 
at hand, and hath brought deHverance to 
his people in the moil wonderful and 
unexpefted manner. 

Thus the disciples, when toffed by the 
mighty tempeft, and in danger of being 
swallowed up by the foaming seas, saw 
their divine Mafter at a diflance, walking 
upon the frothy surface of the mighty 
waters ; they saw, but they knew him not : 
nor were they convinced by his nearer 
approach, but, thinking they had seen 
an apparition, flirieked with fear. Their 
terrors, however, were soon at an end ; 
with kind compaffion, and condescending 
goodness, in his well-known voice, the 
bleffed Jesus dispelled their fears with 
these words. Be of good cheer ; it is I ; be 
not afraid. No sooner had our great Re- 
deemer uttered these words, than every 
fear vaniflied, and satisfaftion and joy 
filled every heart. Peter was so elated 
with the fight of his Mafter, and so over- 
joyed to see him walking on the sea, that 
he felt in his mind a ftrong defire to ac- 
company him ; and, accordingly, begged 
his Mafter to permit him to come upon the 
water. 

Our great Redeemer having, with con- 
descending goodness, granted his requeft, 
he left the boat, and walked on the sur- 
face of the sea ; and some small time con- 
tinued the miraculous course, wondering 
at himself, and rejoicing in the power of 
his Mafter. But the ftorm increased, the 
whiftling winds roared around him, and 
the wild surges tofled their raging heads on 
high, and daflied about their foam ; so that 
it was with the utmoft difficulty that he 
kept on his feet. Peter was not so ftrong 
as he imagined ; his presence of mind for- 
sook him ; his faith failed ; he forgot the 
presence of his divine Mafter, and he 
began to fink in the mighty waters. In 
this extremity, he looked earneftlv for his 
divine Supporter, and, upon the brink of 
bemg swallowed up, he cried, Lord, save 
me ! His kind, compaffionate Mafter im- 
mediately relieved him; he firetched out 
his hand, and caught him ; at the same 
time, gently rebuking his ftaggering reso- 
lution and wavering faith, he said unto 
him, 0 thou of little faith, uohaefore didfl 
thou doubt ? J J 

No. 4. 



HIS APOSTLES. 89 

The case of Peter (hould be a ftanding 
warning to the Chriftian, and excite him to 
be very cautious of putting a vain confi- 
dence in his own ftrength. Peter thought 
that he could endure all things in the 
company of his Mafter, and, while he 
felt his heart warm, he supposed, that 
his resolution and courage would bear him 
above every fear. But on this, as well as 
on a future occafion, which will hereafter 
be remarked, he found himself miftaken. 
When he perceived the ftorm to increase, 
and the foaming billows rage more horribly 
than before, his fears suggefted, that either 
his Mafter would be unable, or unwilling, 
to support him amidft the furious blafh 
of the tempeft. He had, on various occa- 
fions, beheld the divine power and good- 
ness of his Mafter, and his fears were 
unreasonable, and he was juftly to be 
blamed ; because the same power which 
had before been so fully manifefted, and 
which now had enabled him to walk on 
the sea, was able to support him there, 
notwithftanding all the horrors of the 
ftorm. 

Peter might have reasoned thus, had he 
been in his right mind ; but his fear pre- 
vailed, his courage and resolution, which 
he depended so much upon, forsook him, 
and he began to fink. Thus the Chriftian, 
when he enjoys the presence of his Saviour 
thinks that he can endure all things ; and 
concludes, that his mountain fiands frong, 
and he shall never be moved : but, when 
affliftion and trouble arise, he has very 
different views of things; when great dan- 
gers are before him, and the boiftersous 
waves of disappointment, vexation, and 
diftress, roar around him, he is very prone 
to be difheartened, and to think, that he 
(hall certainly be swallowed up, that God 
hath forsaken him, and will be favourable 
no more. Such are too often his senti- 
ments, and, if the divine hand of his 
Saviour did not hold him up, he would, 
like Peter, fink in the mighty water. 

This miracle of our exalted Redeemer's 
walking on the sea, seems to have afton- 
ifhed the disciples, more than any which 
had been before it ; for, though they 
had so lately seen the miracle of feeding 
the multitude with five loaves, it did 
not appear to have such an effefl on 
thei.i minds, as this laft manifeftation of 

Y 



9<=> 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



his divine power ; for now, with the 
utiiioH: veneration, gratiiude, auct joy, 
they cam-: and worjh'ibpt'ii him, saying, 
Of a truth, thou art tlm Son oj God. 

Nor was walking on the sea, the only 
miracle which our great Redeemer 
wrought at this time ; for, we are in- 
fornud by thc^ evange lifts, that as soon 
as their ahiiight}- Mailer, and his re- 
lieved disci j)le, v/ere received into the 
fliip, the veHel was inftantaneoufly trans- 
ported to its intended port. Ihen they 
willingly received him into the Jliip ; and 
immeiUatch the Jhip zvas at the land zohither 
they zcent. 

It was in the country' adjacent to Cbper- 
naum, that our great Redeemer landed ; 
and, as he had not been in that neigh- 
bourhood fince his vifiting Nazareth, the 
country people flocked about him m great 
numbers, bringing their lick and diseased, 
which the Divine Phvfician immediately 
healed : and, as it had been, a conhderabk 
time fmce he had been rri that country, 
ihey crowded around him in. such numbers,, 
that he could not pay a particijlar atien- 
ti("n to every objeft of diftress ; but they 
had so great an opinion of the heaHng 
Virtue, which he so eminently pofTeffed, 
that they beseeched him, that they might 
only touch the hem of his garfmnt ; and 
as many as touched were made perfetlly 
zohole. 

It hath been before related, that after 
Christ had fed the multitude in the de- 
sert, he dismilfed them.; but, though they 
dispersed at his command, they did not 
return to their habitations ; for, perceiving 
that llie disciples were sent to the other 
fide of the lake, and that Jesus ftayed be- 
hind, they probably concluded, that they 
were sent to provide neceffaries for their 
Mafters aftuming the kingdom ; and, 
though he had modellly declined that 
high dignity in the evening, they were 
encouraged to hope, that he would accept 
of it the ensuing day. This expeftation, 
it may be supposed, induced them to 
lodge in the solitary v/ilderness, and 
fiielter themselves in caverns of the rocks 
and mountains, though they were very 
much incommoded by the raging of the 
itorm. 

When morning arrived, ilic multitude 
left the places of their retreat, and search- 



ed for our Redeemer in every part of the 
desert mountain : ihey saw him ascend to 
the summit the foregoing evenwg, and 
were very much surprised that he could 
i\o\ be found ; but having wearied them- 
selves in a,n unsyccessful search, they pro- 
bably concluded, that he had departed in 
some boat which belonged to the sea of 
Tiberiys, i,hat had been foiqed by thq 
ftoim to take fheltcr in some creek, at the 
foot of the mountain. With this cxpefta- 
t,ion, they di parted to Capernaum, where 
they found him in the Synagogue, teaching 
tiie pjcople ; and, with a mixture ofsui- 
pri'e and joy, alkcd him Rabbi, when 
carnfi thou hither ? Tq. this q,ueftion, our 
great Redeemert answered, that, they did 
not follow him because they were con- 
vinced by his rniraeles of the truth of his 
divinity, but because tliey had been mira" 
cylpuUy fed: Yerily, verily,, It say untQ 
)fp%L,, said he, ye seek me, not becoAise you 
saw the miracles, but because ye did eat 
of t^he Itoaves, and were filled. Hereby 
our great Redeemer intimated, that theiir 
views in Ibllowirjg hjm, were liQw;,, selfiflj, 
and sordidj, and far below what i?i)igl)t be 
expe61ed from the Mefhah's kingdGm;^ 
Food Cor the body is of small consequence, 
when coiuparcd with those things which 
promote the welfare of the immortal soul. 
It was not mere animal food which thq 
Son of God came down from heaven to 
bellow, but that divine wisdom and grace 
which would lead the immortal mind in 
the paths, of eternal happiness ; and, there- 
fore, he exhorted them not to follow him 
for common food, but for that meat which 
endureth to everlafting life. Labour not, 
said he, for the meat which perificth, but 
for that meat zvhich endureth unto ever- 
lafing life, which the son of man fkall 
give unto you : for him hath God the Fa' 
tlier sealed. 

The Jews, if they had attentively con- 
fidered the writings of their prophets, 
where divine wisdom and knowledge arq 
frequently held forth, under the metaphors 
of meat and drink, mi^ht eafily have un- 
dcrftood what our Saviour meant by the; 
meat which endureth unto everlafiing life. 
But their popular notions of a temporal 
dominion, led them into the idea of some 
corporeal food, which the Mefliah would 
give them to enable them to pursue the 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



9^ 



' defigas, and eftablifli the gloriies of his ki ng- 
dom. It is, therefore, a© wondt^r that 
j this discourse so afieOsed their rainds, that 
j they afked him,^ what they fhould do to 
! ereft the MefTiah's kingdom and obtain 
! that wonderful breads which he said^ God 
i had comrcrifFioned, Hm. tQ' beftow. 
I The minds of the Jev/s w^re filled with 
vaftr conceptions of tiie splendour and 
glory of the Meffiah's reign, and, as they 
expefted that Christ was about to eftab- 
lifh bis great empire, doubtless,, they 
imagined he would have given proper di- 
reftioTis for their rifiing againff, and oppo- 
' ftng the Roman power, as the firft ftep 
towards raifmg that dominion, which had 
been so long promised m their natrmii 
i Bui our great Redeemer,, to convince 
j them, of their raittake,. and inform them 
what God really required of them, in 
order to ereft the MeffiahiV kingdom, told 
them, that the way to obtain the favour of 
tlie God of Israel, was to. believe in the_ 
I person whom lie had ssent. Tber Jews 
j were exceedingly offended at this unex- 
! pefted answer, and seEroed determined 
not to receive Christ as their MelTiah, 
because he declined; all rm?ans of eflab- 
I liftiing a. temporal kingdom : as therefore,, 
j he appeared in a charaQ-er so contrary tO) 
I their expe6lations, of the maniffeftation of 
1 the Melfiah, they required him to pcoduce 
some figns, which might demonffcrate that 
I he was greater than Moses, or any of the 
j old prophets. As to the miracle of feedr 
I ing^ the multitude, they supposed, that 
ij such a pre-eminency could not he gather- 
j ed from thence, beca^use Moses- hadi fed 
I their whole nation with manna in the 
I wi^derne^, which, they iniiRuated, was 
I a greater miracle than Christ's feeding 
te^n thousand persons in the: wilderness. 
What Jipi Jktweji thou then., said; they unto 
him, that w&may see^ and believe- thee? 
I What dojt thou work ? Qur fathers did eat 
j manna m the desert ; as it is xm-itten,. lie 
I gave them bread from heaven, to eat. To 
I this objeftion, our Lord replied. Verily, 
\ verily ^ I say unto you, Moses garue you 
\ not that bread from heojien ; but my 
i Father giveth you the true bread from 
\ heaven. 

j The manna which suftained the Israelites 
] in; the wilderness, was not the produftion 
q£ Moses, but the ffift of God ; it was not 



1 sent as an evidence of Moses being a 
I great prophet, but was intended to carry 
on the dehgns of Divine Providence, in 
the support of that peculiar people, and 
to be an emblem, or representation of 
: that true spiritual, heavenly bread, which 
j God hath given for the spiritual life of all 
; who believe in his Son. 
. Some of the audience, who had liftened 
with great pleasure, to the description; 
; which our Lord had given of the cce- 
; leftial bread, were polTelfed with an earneft 
defire to be partakers of so grert a bles- 
! fing : and immediately cried, out, Lord,, 
eve^rmore give us this bi'ead. To which, 
the divine Inftruftor replied, / am the 
bread of Life : he that cometh to me fiall ne- 
: ver hunger ; and he that believeth on me 
flialL never thirfi. But, continued our great 
Redeemer, as I have often said, your na- 
tion obftinately and resolutely refifts the 
light, and continues in unbelief, notwith- 
ftanding the raanifeft and glaring evi- 
dences of divine power, which you have 
seen, and the glorious fruits which would- 
follow on your believing ; but think not, 
that your unbelief will prevent the lifing 
glories of my spiritual kingdom ; for many 
there are which my Father hath given 
•me, these fhall be induced by the power 
of his spirit to come unto me, and him 
that coraeth, I idlL in no wise caft out : for 
I came down, from heaven, not to do mine 
oxm will, but the will of him that sent me:. 
And this is the Fathers will which hath 
sent me, that, of all which he hath given, 
me, I fhould lose nothing, but fhould raise 
it up at the lafi day. And this is the will 
of him that sent me, that every one which 
seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may 
have everlafiing life. : and I will raise him 
up at the lafi day. 

As the greateft part of the Jews were 
defirous only of temporal privileges and 
advantages from the Mefhah's kingdom, it 
is no wonder they fhould be offended at 
this do6lrine ; they could not bear the 
thought, that a man who declined all 
earthly honours, fliould be supposed to be 
the Mefhah : nor could they tell what he 
meant by calling himself the bread of life, 
and affertina;, that he came down from 
heaven. With murmurmg and discontent, 
therefore, they haflily exclaimed, Is not, 
this Jesus, tht son of Joseph, wfwse father 



92 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



and viother xcc knotc ? How is it then that 
he saith, I came dozen from heaven ? 

To ihcse degrading expredions, our 
Lord tlunight fit to reply, that no ob- 
ie^tions ariiing Irom the meanness of his 
hirtli and education, could invalidate the 
t( lliinon>' of the miracles \vhich he had 
wrought, or excuse their oblhnacy and 
unbelief". But it was not flrange, that 
they fhould oppose and refifl the truth, 
for it required the agency of divine power 
to teach them to underlland what he meant 
bv declaring himself the bread of life : 
and also it muff be the mighty power of 
God, which enabled ihcm to receive him, 
and live upon him as such. A believing 
in the Son of God, as the only Saviour 
of finncrs, and rcfling upon him for life 
and salvation, and thereby partaking of 
the divine nature, and receiving spiritual 
nourifhment from him, as the body does 
from corporeal bread, was not within the 
reach of the natural abilities of the unbe- 
lieving Jews, nor any of the human race, 
without divine afTiflance ; and, therefore, 
our Lord told them, No man can come 
to m% except the Father which hath sent 
vie, draw him. And he further proceed- 
ed to inform them, that it was related 
in their prophets, concerning the kingdom 
of the Mefhah, that a!l the subjctls of 
the kingdom fhould be taught of God, 
Every man, therejcrc, that hath heard, and 
hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. 
But, continued our great Redeemer, you 
are not to suppose, that men will be so fa- 
voured, as to see God wnth their cor- 
poreal eyes ; for him none haih seen, or 
can see : but the liappiness and glor}' of 
that kingdom will confifl in believing on 
me, in such a manner as to receive me 
as the true bread of life : by this the be- 
liever will obtain a vital union with me, 
and draw spiritual nourifhment from me ; 
and, by that means, grow up to ever- 
lading life. 

Our Lord, having thus declared him- 
self to be the bread of life which came 
down from heaven, and fhewn the way 
in which it is to be obtained, proceeded to 
examine the comparison between himself, 
confidered as the bread from heaven, and 
the manna, which in the lime of Moses, 
the Israelites eat in the wilderness. Your 
fathers, said he, did cat m.anna in the 



wilderruss, and are dead. This is the bread 
which cometh dozen from heaven, that a 
man may cat thereof, and not due. lam 
the living bread which came dozen from 
heaven : if any man eat of this bread, he 
fJiall live for ever : and the bread that I 
zcill give, IS mv flefi, which I will give for 
the life of the zcorld. 

Though the Jews were no ftrangers to a 
figurative way of speaking, yet such was 
their blindeess and perverseness, that they 
underflood those words, and the reff of 
Christ's declaration in a literal sense, 
and inquired, with the utmofl affonifh- 
ment, Hozo can this man give us his flefh ' 
to eat ? But our Lord, knowing what 
manner of persons he was converfing 
with, did not think proper to explain his 
meaning in any other way of speaking ; 
but continuing in the same figurative way 
of exprefTion, he repeated, and affirmed 
what he had before afferted, Verily, verily^ 
I say unto you, said he, except ye eat the 
flefh of the Son oj man, and drink his blood, 
ye have no life in you. Whoso ea.teth my 
fiefh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal 
Life ; and I will raise him up at the left day. 
For my fiefh is meat indeed, and my blood 
is drink indeed ; meaning, that no person 
can obtain that eternal life, which the 
gospel of Christ makes known, but by 
a vital faith, which receives the Son of 
God, and, partaking of his divine nature, 
draws spiritual nourifhment and life from 
him. He that eateth my fiefJi, and drinketh 
my blood, dioelleth in me, and I in him. 
As the living Father hath sent me, and I 
live by the Father ; so he that eateth me, 
even he fiiall live by me. 

Our Lord proceeded to inform them, 
that this is the bread which he had before 
told them came down from heaven, infi- 
nitely superior, in its nature and conse- 
quences, to that bread which their fathers 
eat in the wilderness ; for they eat the 
manna and are dead ; but whoso eateth this 
bread fhall live for ever. 

Such was the conference which our 
Saviour had with the Jews, in the Syna- 
gogue at Capernaum, which took its rise 
from the miraculous repafl which he had 
so lately provided for the multitude in 
the desert, and thence naturally turned on 
bread. Though the Jews were no ftran- 
gers to a figurative way of speaking, and 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



93 



might have found the same mode of ex- 
prelTion in their own prophets, yet they 
had no clear idea of his meaning, eating 
his Jlejh, and drinking his blood, ,they ftill 
underftood literally ; and, as it was a thing 
i prohibited in the law of Moses, and ab- 
horred by the moft barbarous nations, they 
! looked upon it with the utmoft aftonifh- 
ment and averfion ; and many of his dis- 
ciples, with a mixture of diflatisfaftion and 
surprise, said, This is an hard saying ; who 
can hear it ? Our Lord, perceiving their 
discontent, said. Are ye offended because 
; I told you my flefh was meat, and my 
blood was drink ; what would you think 
if ye saw the Son of man ascend up where 
he was before ? It is the Spirit that quick- 
eneth ; , the feJJi profiteth nothing : the 
! wards that I speak unto you, they are spirit, 
and they are life. Thus, our Lord further 
explained the meaning of what he had be- 
fore advanced ; as much as if he had said. 
When you see me ascend with this body 
] into heaven, you will be convinced that I 
i really descended from thence ; and you 
t will also perceive that you cannot eat my 
I flefh, or drink my blood in a corporeal 
manner; I never intended you fhould think 
\ my words had any such meaning : my flefh, 
i in such case, could not be of any advantage 
to the sons of men ; but the great bleffmgs 
I have been relating, arise from receiving 
the doftrines I preach ; to reveal these, I 
laid afide the glory which I had with my 
Father ; I took upon me the veil of flefh, 
and affumed the nature of man : it is, 
therefore, entering into the spirit of these 
do6lrines, which w^ill bring you to eternel 
life ; but I know your hearts are so wicked, 
and your prejudices so ftrong, that you 
will not receive them; nor am I disap- 
pointed in you ; for, I have told you be- 
fore, that no man can come unto me, except 
it be given him of the lather. 

The Jews were so puzzled, confounded, 
J and offended at this discourse, that many 
■who had profeffed themselves the disciples 
of Christ, departed out of the synagogue, 
and followed him no more. They did not 
underftand his views, nor like his method 
of preaching ; nor could they perceive 
how a temporal kingdom, that idol of 
Jewifh vanity, w^as likely at this rate to be 
eflablifhed : and, therefore, they could no 
longer acknowledge Tesus to be the Mes- 
No. 4. 



fiah, whose appearance and reign they 
expefted so vaflly different. 

When the Jews were departed, our 
Lord turned himself to his disciples, with 
a look of endearing kindness, and said, 
Will you also go away ? To this Peter an- 
swered, Lord, to whom Piall we go ! thou 
hap the words of eternal life. And we be- 
lieve, and are sure, that thou art the Chrijt, 
the Son of the living God. 

This declaration of Peter, was spoken in 
allusion to what Jesus had before been 
afierting, that he was the bread of life ; 
and contained a full declaration of his 
faith in his Master, as the Son of God, 
and the Redeemer of Israel. Jesus w^as 
well pleased with the profeffion of faith 
which Peter had made for himself, and 
the reft of the apoffles ; and, to let them 
see that he knew the thoughts of the heart, 
and was aicquainted with the inmoft receffes 
of the soul, he informed them, that there 
was one amongfh them who was a wicked 
man, and would be guilty of the baseft, 
vilefl, and moft abominable aftions : which 
prediftion was fully accompliflied, when 
Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, wickedly 
betrayed his great Lord and Mafter. 

The third paffover, fince our Lord's 
public miniftry, was near at hand, and 
Jesus went up to Jerusalem to celebrate 
the feaft : but the Jews, who were offended 
at his discourse in the synagogue of Ca- 
pernaum, followed him with such furious 
and implacable resentment, that they 
sought to take away his life. Our Lord, 
therefore, not choofing to ftay in Jerusa- 
lem, departed from that city, and return- 
ed into Gahlee. 

The Pharisees knew that he was so much 
in the favour of the people, that they did 
not make any violent attempts on his per- 
son, while he continued in that country ; 
but they followed him with defign to lay 
hold on some of his words or aftions, 
whereby they might accuse him to the 
people, as a breaker of the law. They 
carefully watched every opportunity, and, 
at laft, they publicly attacked him, and 
branded his conduft as highly blame- 
worthy, because he permitted his disciples 
to eat with unwaflien hands, which was 
contrary to the tradition of the elders. 
This praftice was not forbidden in the law, 
but was an article of great consequence in 

Z 



94 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



the tradition of the elders, by whicli the 
Pharisees explained the law' of Moses. 
Sex eral inllances of legal uncleanness were 
particularly flated, and forbidden by the 
Jcwifh legidature : hut these, tmd other 
ceremonial performances, were rnultiplied 
in the mofi extrava«:ant and ridiculous 
manner in those traditiorrs, which were 
held in such high vcneiation by the Phari- 
sees. These people, who valued them- 
selves on an exatl and scrupulous per- 
fbrninnre of every tittle of the law, con- 
fidered it as a notorious offence to eat 
bread with imwadien hands, though at 
the same time, they were scandaloufly 
careless in things of the hightfl im- 
portance. 

To fhew the (lupidity and folly of this 
conduti, our Lord answered the queflion 
of the Pharisees, by retorting on them tlie 
wickedness of their condu'Sl in a scrupulous 
exactness and puntluality, in the obser- 
vance of human traditions, and, at the 
same time, negletling the poiitive com- 
mands of God. Why do you also, said he, 
iransg^Tss the commandment of God by your 
tradition? For God comvianded, saying, 
Honour thy father and mother : and, He that 
curseth father or mother : let him die the 
death. But ye say, Whosoever fhall say to 
his father or his mother, it is a gijt, by 
n'hatsocver thou mightcjl be profited by me : 
that is. wliatevcr I might have spared for 
the relief of my parents, I have dedicated 
to Gcd, and thus suffers his parents to 
want not honouring his fatlier and mother, 
'he Jhall be free. Thus have you, conti- 
nued our great Redeemer, set afide the 
immutable duties of natural religion, and 
dared to oppose and contraditt the po- 
fitive commandments of Gcd, by your 
rii'iculous and contemptible traditions: Ye 
hypocrites, said he, well did, Isaias prophesy 
of you, saying, This people drazveth nigh 
unto me with their mouth, and Jwnoureth 
me with their lips ; but their heart i? far 
Jrcm me : but in vain do they worfiip me, 
teaching for doclrines the commandments of 
vun. 

Our Lord having thus fharply rebuked 
the Pharisees, he turned to the people, 
and explained to them the nature of the 
argument, and defired them to rcfleft on 
the absurdity of the doctrine of the Scribes 
and Pharisees. Not that which gocth into 



the mouth difilcth a man : but that zchick 
Cometh out oj the mouth, that dfilelh a man, 
said he ; and appealed to the common 
sense and underflanding of mankind, for 
the apparent truth of this observation, dc- 
firiug them to judge what contemptible 
hypocrites those persons mufl be, who 
could profeffcdly negleft the great duties 
of morality, which are of universal and 
eternal obligations, and, at the same time, 
value themselves on the exa61; and scru- 
pulous performance of such a trifle as 
wafhing of hands. 

The I^harisees were highly offended at 
our Lord, because he spake in a degrading 
manner of their traditions, of which ha- 
ving complained with some warmth, the 
disciples came and informed their Mafler. 
Jesus replied, that they need not give 
themselves any pain about the oflence 
which that set of men had taken at his 
words, nor need ihey be afraid of their 
anger ; for both themselves and their doc- 
trine would soon be deftroyed, for neither 
of them were of God. Eveiy plant, said 
he, which my heavenly Fatlier hath not 
planted, fall be rooted up. Let them alone : 
they be blind leaders of the blind. And 
if the blind lead the blind, they fhall both 
fall into the ditch. 

But the disciples themselves did not fully 
underftand, nor were they entirely satisfied 
with this do61rine ; and Peter having de- 
fired his Lord to explain it to them, the 
divine Inftruftor proceeded to inform 
them, that meats being of a corporeal na- 
ture, could not defile the spirit of a man 
or render him polluted in the fight of God : 
no real guilt can be conlra61cd this way, 
except the meats are used to excess, or in 
dire6f contradi6lion to the command of 
God ; and then the pollution proceeds 
from the man, who suffers himself to be 
prevailed on to transgress a pofitive com- 
mand, and not from the meat, which/ as 
the good cieature of God, is lawful to 
be received. Thus, that which entereth 
in at the mouth, doth not defile the man, 
but that which cometh out of the mouth, 
proceeding from a wicked heart, such as 
evil thoughts, murders, advJJeries, forni- 
cations, thejts, false witness, blasphemies : 
these are the things which drfile a man ; but; 
to eat with unwnpien hands, dtfileth not a 
I man. Discourses like these could not 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



fail of exceedingly offending the proud, 
self-conceited Pharisees, and raifing their 
resentment to its higheft pitch : for these, 
and such like observations of our Lord, I 
tended to ftrip them of that outfide (hew 
of sanftity and superior ftriftness, with 
which they veiled their deformity, and ren- 
dered themselves so venerable in the efteem 
of the vulgar Jews. These discourses, 
therefore, and the general oppofition the ! 



9. 

proud Pharisees met with from the Son of 
God, excited them, with the utmoft pride 
and envy, not only to oppose his do6trine 
1 and degrade his miracles, but to attack 
his reputation and plot againfl his life. 
Our great Redeemer thought it unneceflary 
to continue the contcfl with such hardened 
hypocrites, and determmed opposers of 
the truth, and immediately departed out 
1 of the country. 



CHAPTER 



XVIIL 



Jesus, at the repsated Requejl of the Woman of Canaan, cures her Daughter : ReJIcres 
the Faculty of Speech to a dumb Man at Decapolis : Miraculoufy feeds the Multitude 
a second Time in the Desert: Warmly exhorts his Disciples to beware of the Leavm 
of the Scribes and Pharisees : R fores Sight to a blind Man, near the City of Beth- 
saida: After zchich, he departs into the Toicns of Ccesarca-Philippi, where he approves 
and commends the Faith cj Peter, 



THE Lord of life having departed 
from Galilee, to evade the cruel and 
malicious defigns of the Pharisees, he re- 
tired to the borders of Paleftine, and ap- 
proached near to those two famous ma- 
ritime cities Tyre and Sidon : but so great 
was the veneration of the common people, 
such the fame he had acquired by his kind 
and beneficent aftions, and so many the 
benefits which multitudes had received 
from his all-healing goodness, it was not 
pofTible he fhould be concealed. And, 
though he vras now in the territories of 
the Gennles, he soon found himself soli- 
cited to lend that affiftance to the helpless 
and miserable, for which he was so famous 
in the land of Israel. 

The firft, araongft the inhabitants of 
these Heathen cities, which implored the 
afTiftance of the Son of God, was an 
unhappy parent, whose only daughter had 
an unclean spirit, and was grievoufy vexed 
with a devil. Various were the discourage- 
ments which lay in the way of the afflicted 
matron : fhe was a Canaanite, one of that 
detefted race with which the Jews would 
have no dealings, and with whom they 
disdained to converse, and had every rea- 
son to fear, that her petition would be 
diso-ulfino- to one ^f the moil eminent of 



the sons of Israel ; but, notwithflanding 
all these circuraftances, die, as an humble 
petitioner, threw herself upon the, tender 
mercies of the benevolent Son of God : 
ftrong necefTity urged her on grief and 
growing diftress caused her to be impor- 
tunate; such dreadful sorrow, suchpreffing 
diftress surrounded her, it is no wonder 
that file would take no denial, but pur- 
sued, vrith repeated petitions, the only 
person who \^'cis able to help. Accordingly, 
in the deepefl humility of mind, with the 
moft respectful reverence and subm.ifTion, 
and the moft ardent, earneff, and pcwerful 
address, fhe came and fell at the feet of 
our great Redeemer ; (he besought him, 
and cried. Have mercy on me, 0 Lord, 
thou Son of Daiid. The earncftness of 
this woman's petition, and her cajlmg our 
Lord the Son of David, plainly indicate, 
that (lie believed him to be the MefTiah ; 
flie seems to have received that faith, 
which was ahvavs honoured by the Sen of 
God, and always recommended the persons 
who pcffeffed it, to his fiift regard ; and 
one would have e.xpefted, that such a 
; petition would not have been rejected 
by that bountiful and merciful Receem- 
er, who rcent about doing good, and who 
kindly invited the weary and heavy- 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



ladcMi. lo come to him with ihc promise 
ol' relief. 

This woman, being a native ol Syro- 
plurnicij, was, no doubt, educated in all 
the idol.itrous superllition of the Greeks ; 
but had been enabled to believe in the 
Svin of'God. and earneillv and vehemently 
to appb- to him for relief. And there is no 
reason to doubt, but that divine Person, 
who had enabled her to believe his 
abilitv to heal h.er daughter, and thus, with 
all her heart and soul, to implore his alhll- 
anee, beheld her with an eye of tender pity 
and flood determined to grant her rcqueli. 

But we hud, that our Lord did not 
think proper to let her know his kind in- 
tentions towards her at firlL He made no 
reply to her petition, nor did he seem to 
lake the leafl notice, either of her, or 
her dillress : but this hlence, and seeming 
disregard, did not intimidate her so far, as 
to induce her to dehit ; but excited herto 
press her petition with the more earneft- 
ness. She continued her cries with a vehe- 
mence which would take no denial, till 
the disciples were affe6led with her grief, 
and became her advocates ; and they, 
however flrongly they had imbibed the 
prejudices of their nation againft the Gen- 
tiles, besought their Mafter to dismiss this 
troublesome petitioner, to grant her re- 
quefl, and send her away. 

But Jesus soon filenced his disciples, 
with an answer agreeable to their own 
prejudices ; / a7n not sent, said he, bid to 
//<s^ l(>/i Jlieep of the house of Israel. To 
iliis, ilie whole train readily aflented, they 
liad an high opinion of the peculiar pi i- 
vileges, and high prerogatives of the Jews, 
and looked upon the Gentiles as abso- 
lutely unclean, and unworthy of the leafl 
favour from the God of Israel : so that 
ihey were entirelv satisfied with this an- 
swer, and urged the matter no further. 

But the woman herself was not so eafily 
prevailed on to give up her requeft : it was 
her own cause ; fhc had no hopes of relief 
from any other quarter ; and that divine 
power which had wrought faith in her 
heart, and given her a full persuafion, that 
Jesus was the MefTiah, and able to help 
her, had also given her flrength and per- 
severance in her requeft. Slie took some 
encouragement, from observing herself the 
subject of conver::ation belv.xen Christ 



and his disciples, and, though conscious 
of her unworthiness to approach so illus- 
trious a person, yet fully convinced of his 
divinity, Ihe worfhipped him, and prayed. 
Lord, help me. 

Our Lord now condescended to speak 
to this humble and earneft petitioner : but 
his words were seemingly sufBcient to have 
discouraged every future attempt ; and, 
though ihe had conceived so high an opi- 
nion of the person and condescending 
goodness of our Lord, his reply seems 
sufficient to have inspired her with bitter 
dislike and averfion. It is not meet, said 
he, to take the children's bread, and to caji 
it to dogs. Intimating, that the Jews 
were the children of God, to whom all 
the privileges and bleOings of the cove- 
nant of Abraham belonged ; and, as the 
Gentiles were vile and contemptible, they 
could not expeft to fhare those bleffmgs 
with the sons of Israel. This answer, 
however severe, did but .'-peak the lan- 
guage of the petitioner's humility, and, 
therefore, it did not excite her resent- 
ment, or cause her to go murmuring 
away ; but, acknowledging the juflice of 
his remark, fhe meekly replied : Truth, 
Lord ; yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which 
fall from their mafers table. Thus, con- 
tinuing the fimilitude which our Lord had 
laid down, fhe artfully introduced her 
own case, and beautifully and meekly 
urged her petition at a time when, it 
might have been expefted, fhe would 
have declined it with murmuring resent- 
ment. 

Our Saviour, having thus given the 
woman an opportunity of manifefling the 
flrength and fleadiness of her faith, and 
declaring what jufl notions fhe had of her 
own unworthiness, and the power and 
goodness of om- great Redeemer, he now 
beheld her with a gracious smile, com- 
mended her faith, and wrought the cure 
which fhe had so warmly and successfully 
solicited in behalf of her daughter ; 0 wo- 
man, said he, great is thy faith ; be it unto 
thee even as thou wilt. 7 hese gracious 
words were no sooner spoken, than the 
great event followed ; and the afPeftionate 
parent had reason to rejoice, for her 
daughter was made whole from that very 
hour. 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



97 



This affefting and interefting relation, 
fhould excite every person in diflress, espe- 
cially those who are in diftress of soul, to 
be ardent, constant, and persevering in 
their addeffes to our great Redeemer. 
Whatever may be the nature of our 
diftress, and however impolTible it might 
seem to us, that our comfort Ihould be 
rellored ; yet there is the higheft, encou- 
ragement to seek to that great Person, 
who is viighty to save, and in his own time 
and way, will deliver all that commit their 
case to him, that believe in his name, and 
come to him for deliverance. Nor ought 
we to be discouraged by the mofi: humbling, 
views which we may have of our own 
unworthiness : the Syrophoenician woman 
was an Heathen and an idolater, but yet 
file was not prevented by those confidera- 
tions, from imploring the pity of the Son 
of God : fhe sought it perseveringly, and 
Ihe found it. Thus, how loft soever we 
may suppose our condition to be, how des- 
perate soever our case, we ought not to 
despair : the moft humbling and abafmg 
sense of our unworthiness, ought not to 
keep us from the great Saviour of fmners, 
but rather urge us to follow him with our 
petitions, and ardently and vehemently 
implore his relief. 

And further, from the success of this 
aftlifted parent, we may be excited to 
perseverance in our petitions, though we 
do not meet with the deiired relief, after a 
long continuance in our supplications : 
the person whose case we are confidering, 
for some time met with no answer, and 
was afterwards repeatedly denied ; but ftiil 
ftie perfifted, and at laft prevailed : so, 
though the Lord ftands at a diftance from 
us, leaves us to our sorrows, and does not 
answer our prayers in the time, or the 
way we might expeft : ftill we are encou- 
raged to continue our address : he is not 
offended at our importunity, he is not 
angry at our wants, nor weary of our cries ; 
but the language of his word is, that we 
ought always to pray, and not to faint. 
Nor ought we to be weary of this pious 
practice, though the Lord may seem to 
deny our requeft ; though, inftead of re- 
moving our afflidion and diftress by his 
gracious smiles, he seems to frown upon 
us, and lays frefti burd.^ns on our souls ; 
though, at the time when we expe6l:d de- 
No. 5. 



liverance, we meet with new diftreftes ; 
and, though the Lord follows us with 
ftroke after ftroke, and lays one affliftioii 
upon another ; ftill we ought to continue 
our petitions, to lay them at his feet, to 
take no reft till he answers our prayers, and 
to determine, that we will not let him go 
until he bless us. And we may reft allured, 
that whosoever is enabled, like the Ca- 
naanitifti woman, thus ardently, vehe- 
mently, humbly, and perseveringly, to 
continue their supplications to the Son of 
God, will sooner or later, like her, find 
the defired relief. 

Jesus being returned from the coafts of 
Tyre and Sidon, and taking a tour through 
the region ofDecapolis, a man was brought 
to him who was deaf and dumb. The 
divine Phyfician was always ready to re- 
lieve such obje6ls of affliftion and diftress 
as applied to him : but, as the multitude 
thronged about him, expefting he would 
soon set up his kingdom, he thought 
proper to take the diseased person and his 
relations afide from the throng : he then 
put his fingers in his ears, and touched his 
tongue, that the deaf man, who could not 
be informed by language, might mark 
the great person who was his benefaftor. 
He then looked up to heaven, and Jighed, 
and said unto him, Ephphatha, that is. 
Be opened : and Jlraightway his ears 
were opened, and the Jiring of his tongue 
was loosed, and he spake plain. And he 
charged them, that they Jhould tell no 
man. 

This injunftion, however, was very 
little regarded ; for, the man and his rela- 
tions were so elated with the benefit they 
had received, and the miraculous manner 
in which that benefit had been conferred, 
their hearts were so full of grratitude to 
the great person from whom this unspeak- 
able favour had been received, that they 
publifhed it in every part of the country ; 
doubtless, thinking they could not be too 
lavilh in the praises of so great a benefac- 
tor, especially as the modefty in which 
he performed the miracles, fully manifeft- 
ed the uprightness of his intentions, and 
fhewed, that he did not aim at popular 
applause, but only sought after the real 
benefit of mankind. 

The vaft crowds that gathered about 
our exalted Redeemer, were such as it 
Aa 



LIFE OF JE 



S U S CHRIST 



was a trouble to bear: he, therefore, to 
avoid such prodigious numbers of people 
as the fame of liis miracles had bnnight 
together, retired to a desert mountain near 
the sea of Galilee. But the solitary fliades 
of the wilderness could not long conceal the 
great Benefaftor of the human race: mul- 
titudes who were related to helpless objctis 
of dillress, soon discovered the place of his 
retreat, and brought to him from all quar- 
ters, the sick, the lame, the blind, the 
dumb, and the maimed. The compafhon- 
ate Saviour of hnners was moved at the 
fight of so many piteous objects ; he gra- 
cioully released them from their several 
complaints, and reftored them to health 
and llrenfTih. Miracles like these could 
not fail of exciting the veneratidh and 
wonder of the numerous speftators : bur, 
above all, the rellorincr the durhb to the 
faculty of speech, filled the beholders With 
aflonilhment ; for, it mud be observed, 
that he not only conferred on thesfe per- 
sons the faculty of hearing, arid pf6^ 
nouncing sounds, but inftantaneofly con- 
veyed into their minds the whole language 
of their country : they were inftantly ac- 
quainted with the various words it con- 
tained, their fignifications, their forms, 
their powers, and their uSeS, and, at once 
acquired the habit of speaking properly 
and fluently. This surely was sufficient to 
have convinced the moft ignorant and 
ihipid of the human race, that such works 
could be effefted by nothing less than 
the mighty power of God ; and, we are 
informed, that the multitude wondered 
when they saw the dumb to speak, th-e maim- 
ed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the 
blind to see; and they glorijied the God of 
Israel. 

The attending to the various cures our 
great Redeemer performed, detained the 
multitude three days in the desert ; during 
which time, they had consumed all, the 
provifions wliich they brought along with 
them into this solitary retreat : no refrefli- 
ment was to be procured in the desert, 
and the kind, compalfionate Jesus would 
not send them away falling, iefl any who 
liad followed him so far from their habi- 
tations, fhould faint by the way ; and, 
therefore, he again exerted his almighty 
power to feed the multitude in the wilder- 
ness. 



With this view, our exalted Saviour 
called his disciples unto him, and sard, / 
have compajjion on the multitude, because 
they continue with me now three days, and 
have nothing to eat; and I will not send 
them azony fajling, Icjl they Jaint by the 
way. The disciples, though the)' had 
lately had so plain a manifeftatiori of divine 
power on a like occahon, seemed to 
wonder at the proposal : Whence said they, 

JJiould we have so much bread in the tuilder- 
ness, as to fill so great a multitude P Their 
divine Mafler did not rebuke them for 
their unbelief, but calmly afked them, 
Hozo many loaves have ye P To which they 
replied. Seven, and a few small fiflics. 
Our great Redeemer then commanded the 
multitude to fit down on the ground. And 
lie took the seven loaves, and the fijhes, and 

gave thanks, and brake them, and gave 
to his disciples, and the disciples to the mul- 
titude ; and they did all eat, and were 

filled : and they took Up the broken meat 
that was left, seven bafkets full. And they 
that did eat, were four thousand men, 
befdes women and children. 

It is not unworthy of remark that the 
blelTed Jesus, during the course of his 
public miniftry, very frequently wrought 
his wonderful works, and publiflied his 
divine discourses in the lilent retreats of 
the wilderness, and the solitary fhades of 
the desert. Here he was followed by 
great numbers, who were diseased either 
in body or mind, and who came after 
him with a fincere defire of receiving 
benefit, either from the miraculous powers 
of healing which hepolfeffed, or from the 
heavenly doftrines which he taught : and, 
it is not to be supposed, that those who 
were not fincerely defirous of receiving 
inftruftion, would endure the hardfhips tci 
which they were frequently exposed in the 
wilderness, where they were sometimes two 
or three days without food : So that we 
may observe the wisdom of our great Re- 
deemer, who took this method to colle6l 
together, the honefl plain-hearted part of 
the nation, who were more likely to be 
aftefted with his miracles, and profit by 
his infiruftions, than the proud rulers of 
the people, or the haughty and opulent 
inhabitants of the crowded cities. And it 
may be further remarked, that our hea- 
venly Infiru61or chose these desert places 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



99 



and obscure retreats, that he might have 
the opportunity of conveying his divine 
doftrmes to the persons whose hearts 
were prepared to receive them, without 
oppofition from the proud self-conceited 
Scribes and Pharisees. How happy were 
people, who thus sat under the divine in- 
ftruclions of the Son of God ! who left 
the busy, buftling scenes of folly and dis- 
fipation in the crowded city, and retired 
to the hlent and solitary fliades of the de- 
sert, to attend to those things which con- 
cerned their everlafting peace ; thus ex- 
changing the loud roar of laughter and 
folly, for the calm dictates of eternal wis- 
dom ; and giving up the bread that penJJi- 
etk, for that which endureth to evtrlajiing 
life. 

After having miraculoufly fed the mul- 
I titude, Jesus departed to the territory of 
Magdala, and appeared in a province of 
f that countr)% called Dalmanutha. The 
i Pharisees, having heard that he had again 
fed the multitude, followed him there ; 
J for they feared that the common people 
f| would be convinced by his miracles, and 
] acknowledge him to be the Meffiah ; and 
\ they were determined to oppose him with 
j all their might, and openly and publicly 
i confute whatever he advanced, wath a view 
,1 to prevent the nation from owning him 

under that charafter. 
I In order to this, they boldly demanded 
I of him a fign from heaven, to make it 
•1 plain, beyond all conlradiclion, that he 
\ was a greater prophet than Moses. Jzsus 
: replied, by rebuking their blindness and 
folly, who, by observing the face of the 
[ fky, could difhinguifh the figns of fair and 
rainy weather, wuth a precifion, which was 
I fully manifefted by the event : but, at the 
i same time, they were so blind and foolifh, 
' they could not perceive the evident ma- 
nifeftation of the fulfilment of the prophe- 
cies respefting the MefTiah, nor diftinguifh 
j, the figns of those times which they so ar- 
' dently expefted and defired. Had the 
i Pharisees duly attended to the evidences 
I which our Lord produced to prove his 
I divine million, and examined them w^ith 
j the same care as they did the face of the 
: fky, when they perdicled the fairness or 
foulness of the weather, they would doubt- 
less have been convinced of the truth : 
but their obftinate and inveterate preju- 



dices, prevented their receiving the Re- 
deemer of Israel, and filled their hearts 
with so much pride and envy, that cur 
divine Infl;ru<£for would not attempt their 
information and conviction : but fetchmg 
a deep figh, because of the hardness of 
their hearts, he declared, that their expeft- 
ed fign fhould never be given them : and 
further observed, that the only fign which 
Divine Providence would allow them, was 
that of his own resurrection from the cold 
regions of the dead, in which dark abodes 
he fhould be no longer held, than the pro- 
phet Jonah was in the belly of the whale. 
This miracle of our Lord's resurrection, 
w^as a fign greater than any -which had 
formerly been fhewn by the antient pro- 
phets, and was juftly infifted on by our 
great Redeemer, to prove that he excelled 
and was far superior to them all : A wicked, 
and adulterous generation, said he, seeketh 
after a fign ; and there fall no fgn be 
given unto it, but the fgn of the prophc4 
Jonas. 

Having given this ans^ver to the Phari- 
sees, our Lord departed with his disciples, 
and went by sea to Bethsaida. During this 
fhort voyage, he cautioned his disciples to 
beware of the doctrine of the Scribes and 
Pharisees, which he introduced under the 
metaphor of leaven, to discribe its wide^ 
spreading contagion, and pernicious in- 
fluence on the minds and actions of men. 
These hypocrites, valued themselves for 
their zealous attachment to a religion, 
w^hich confifted in the scrupulous observ- 
ance of frivolous traditions, while they 
neglefted the immiUtable duties of natural 
religion, as well as the weightier and 
more important precepts of the law: but 
the disciples, having forgotten to take 
bread with them in their voyage, thought 
our Lord introduced the disccurse of 
leaven, to caution them againft procuring 
it of the Heathens, or Samaritans : for 
though their mafter had so lately fed the 
multitude in the desert, they had forgotten 
his miraculous power, and seemed not to 
be senfible, that he who had fed ten 
thousand persons with five loaves, was 
able, at all times, to provide for their 
necefhties. 

Having croffed the lake, and landed at 
Bethsaida, there was brought to our Lord 
a blind man, and he was earneftly in- 



ICO 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



treated to i-cPloiv h'nn to fight. lie re- 
cciveci the petition with his usiuil kindness, 
and takini; the man bv tlie hand, he led 
him out oi the eity ; tiien he spit in liis 
eyes, and hiid liis liands upon him, and 
alked him, it he saw any tiling : to whieh, 
the man replied, I see vwn as trees, xoalk- 
lug : wlneh words \ er\' properly express 
the intlidinclness oi his iight : Jesus then 
laid his hands on him a second time, and 
he was immediately rellored to clear, 
dillinft, and perfeH light. 

It is proper in this ])lacetobe remarked, 
that the inhabitants of Bethsaida, had, by 
their ingratitude, impenitence, and unbe- 
lief, greatly provoked our great Redeemer ; 
and It may be said of this city, as it was 
of another, he zvould not do many mighty 
works there, because of their unbelief : and 
this, no doubt, was the reason why he 
would not perform this miraculous cure 
m the city, but led the blind man into the 
fields : and soon after departed into the 
territory of Cacsarea-Phlippi. 

Being retired into this country, our Lord 
thought proper to try the faith of the 
apofiles ; not that he did it for his own 
information, but that it might be manifeft 
to themselves, that they believed in the 
Lord. With this view, he afl^ed them, 
Mliovi do men say that I, the Son of man, 
am? In answer to this queftion, the dis- 
ciples replied. Some say, that thou art 
jfohn the Baptijt ; som^ Elias ; and others, 
Jercmias, or one of the prophets. The peo- 
ple in general, were convinced that Jesus 
was a great prophet ; but, though they 
Avere convinced of this, they did not 
acknowledge him as the Melfiah. The 
reason of their miftake is very apparent : 
they expected that the MefTiah, when he 
appeared, would affume the honours, 
grandeur, and power of a temporal king- 
dom ; but, as Jesus disclaimed and de- 
clined all earthly honours, they could not 
receive him under that character. Jesus, 
therefore, gave the disciples an opportuni- 
ty of declaring what their conceptions 
were of his person and charaftcr; and, 
with this view, he afkcd them, But whom 
say ye that I am ? To this queftion, Peter 
immediately replied, 77iou art Chrijt, the 
Son of thi Living God. With a condescend- 
ing smile, our Lord accepted the title, 
and, to tefli y his approbation of Peter's 



faith, immediately replied, Elcffed art 
thou, Simon Bar -Jonah : for flcfi and blood 
hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Fa- 
ther zohich IS in heaven. Our great Re- 
deemer, then alluding to the name of 
Peter, which fignihes a rock, led him, 
and the rell of the disciples, to a view of 
that eternal Rock, on the faith he had 
before exprelled, and the whole church of 
Chris r reRs, as on a sure foundation. 
And I say also unto thee, said he, that thou 
art Peter, and upon this rock I will build 
my church ; vnd the gates of hell fall not 
prevail agairfl it. 

It cannot, without great absurdity, be 
concluded, that Peter was the rock on 
which Christ declared he would build his 
church : weak indeed, and eafily affaulted 
and overcome by the powers of hell, would 
the noble fabric be, if it refted on any 
creature; and much more so, was it sup- 
ported by a week, mutable, and fallible 
man : it is therefore mamfeil:, that Christ 
himself is the Rock, on which his uni- 
versal church, containing the whole num- 
ber of his redeemed, is erefted ; and this 
is a foundation which will Hand for ever : 
not all the powers of earth and hell, can 
fliake the immoveable bafis of this rock : 
and whoever is so happy as to be fixed on 
this foundation, need not fear the dreadful 
earthquake, the rulhing inundation, the 
raging tempelt, or the devouring flame : 
not all the rage and confufion of a tumul- 
tuous world, can hurt such a person as 
this ; but he may fland secure amidfl the 
lafl convuHions of expiring nature, and 
behold, without fear, "the wrecks ofmat- 
" ter, and the crulh of worlds." 

But our Lord proceeded to (hew the fa- 
vourable regard which he had for his dis- 
ciples, and the gifts which he would beflow 
upon them ; and, therefore, he adds. And 
I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom 
of heaven: and whatsoever thou fialt bind 
on earth, fhall be bound m heaven: and 
whatsoever thou fhalt loose on earth, fhall 
be Loosed m heaven, Maith. xvi. 19. As 
Peter had spoken in behalf of himself 
and the reft of the apo^lles, so our Lord 
lays down these gifts which were common 
to all ; for the same words, with very little 
variation, are applied to the whole num- 
ber, in Matt, xviii. 18. and in John xx, 
23. They cannot be supposed to contain 



i 



t 

J 

I 



. ( 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



101 



a declaration of any superiority affigned to 
Peter over the reft of the apoftles ; for, it 
is evident, that, when they afterwards dis- 
puted on this head, and held any conten- 
tion amongft themselves, who fhould be 
greateft, they were always reproved by 
their Mafter ; nor can we find, that the 
reft of the apoftles ever confeffed any 
such superiority, or that Peter ever claim- 
ed it. 

The keys of the kingdom of heaven 
being given to the apoftles,. by a very 
easy and beautiful figure, represents the 
success of their miniftrv. The kingdom of 
heaven, in the language of the evangelifts, 
is the kingdom of grace, or the dispensa- 
tion of the glorious gospel : and what can 
be more natural, than to say, that the 



keys of the kingdom of heaven are given 
to them who open those noble truths to 
the sons of men. And when it is said, 
that whatsoever the apoftles bind on earth, 
ftiall be bound in heaven : it evidently re- 
lates to the divine approbation of those • 
regulations and reftrictions, which the 
apoftles fhould eftablifti in the church ; 
for binding and loofing, are frequently- 
used in the talmudical language, to repre- 
sent allowing or forbidding particular senti- 
ments and practices : so that, from the 
whole, we may conclude, that however 
our Lord approved or applauded Peter's 
faith and zeal, he did not, by these de- 
clarations, intend to give him any pre- 
eminence or authority over the reft of the 
' apoftles. 



CHAPTER XIX. 



Christ informs his Disciples of his Sufferings and Death: He declarses, that he fiall 
judge the World, and gives a description of the Lajl. Judgment: He is tranfifuTcd 
in the Presence oj three of his Apofiles: At the Foot of the Mountain ofiransfi- 
guration, he cures a Youth, zvho had a dumb and deaf Spirit; And, returning to 
Capernaum, pays the Roman Tribute, zvith a Piece oj Money, to.kcn out of the Moutk 
of a Fifh by Peter, agreeable to his Maftr's direciion. 



THE _ disciples, as they ftill retained 
their expeclations of a temporal king- 
dom, _were, doubtless, highly elated widi 
the discourse of their Mafter, which they 
had lately heard ; giving them the kevs of 
the kingdom of heaven, and enabling them 
to bind and loose with such authoritv, were 
very agreeable to them ; and it is to be 
supposed, that they explained these grants 
to mean some great temporal powers and 
honours they were to be invefted with. 
Their divine Leader, to abate their high 
swelling conceits, and to lead them into 
clearer views of ths nature of his king- 
dom, and the final iftlie of his miniftry 
amongft the Jews, informed them, that it 
was appointed in the eternal counsels of 
his Father, that he ftiould be rejeaed by 
the rulers of Israel, persecuted with the 
utmoft malice, followed with false accusa- 
tions, and, at laiL put to death as a male- 
No. .3. 



faclor, with circumftances of the greateft 
cruelty and public ftiame. 

The disciples were exceedingly alarmed 
I at this prediclion of their Mafter ; he had 
I juft before accepted the title of the Meftiah, 
1 and declared, that he would beftow high 
honours, peculiar privileges, and extraor- 
dinary powers on his apoftles : and his 
now declaring, that he fhould be arraigned, 
condemned, and put to death as a male- 
factor, was so contrar)' to their expecla- 
tions, that they thought it impofTible to be 
true. Peter, who was of a warmer temper 
than the reft, heard his mafter talk of 
dying at Jerusalem with the utmoft afton- 
ifhment, and could not forbear hinting, 
that he did not believe it to be true ; and 
he proceeded to blame his Mafter, for 
mentionina[ anv such thins;. For this 
boldness, our Lord fliarply rebuked him : 
Get tliee behind me, Satan : thou art an, 
B b 



162 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



cff\'nrc unto nir ; for thou snr'ourc/I not 
i/ic thinifs that be of God, but those thai be 
of vtcn. 

It 'tvas the faals^e nt-tionsof the nature cf 
the McHi::h\s kinijdoin which Peter had 
imbibed, and his JoVe to the world, and 
defires after its grandeur and glory, wliich 
induced him to utter tltat imprudent lan- 
iifuaire. which brouirht so severe a rebuke 
from his Ma{ler. It was, therelbre, a 
lefibn, which our Redeemer, at tliis time, 
thought peculiarly proper to inculcate, 
that all who would afterwards obtain that 
glory which belonged to ihe siibj^fcls of his 
kingdom, mufl; deny themstlves ;• th^t is, 
they muR always be ready to give tip Wry 
worldly pleasure, every thing which tertds 
to gratify the senses, and even life itself, 
whenever the cause of Christ required it. 
And he iufornied tliem, that whosoever 
pursued the glory and bleffcdness of his 
kingdom, in such a w^ay as to be likely 
to obtain it, mufl: expetl to meet with 
trouble, vexation, disappointment, afflic- 
tion, and dillress : for. our Lord declared, 
that he who would be his disciple, mufl; 
take up his cross daily, and f()iIow him. 

Our Lord thus opened to his disciples 
llie true nature of his kingdom^ and let 
them know, that it was quite the reversfe 
of what th-y had ex|;e<^led : for, though 
they had undergone many affliftions, diffi- 
culties, and trials, there were greater and 
more severe exercises of their patience and 
formudc ff ill to come ; these it would be 
in vain to attempt to fhun 'Or evadci, for 
they -ftiufl; follow their Martcr in the foot- 
fleps of his affliction, which, if they at- 
tempted to fhun, they would fall into 
greater evils ; but those who preserved in 
the way of their duty with patience and 
fortitude, though they might loose their 
ternporal lives, they would certainly gain 
nn happy immortality : For whosoever, 
.caivl he, will save his life,J]iall lose it; 
bu't lokosoever Jluitl loose his life for my 
sake, the sanie Jfi-ali sa/oe it. tor zohM is 
a mm 'profited, if he fhall gain the whole 
zoarld, and lose his ozor sOul ? Or 
what fhall a umn give in exchange for his 
Soul '? 

Ojr great Redeemer, having explained 
to "his attentive disciples, the usage they 
niuft expert to fidd from the w^orld, and 
the reproach, trouble, affliction, and va- 



riety of diflress which they mufl; expe^lto 
go through ; he theil thought proper to 
change the scen'e,- dnd represenited to them 
the grandeur, gfory, dignity, and majefliy 
in which he fhould appear, when those 
sufferings were at an. end : For tht Son of 
man, said he, f/mll come in. the-glary of his 
Father; and then he /hail reward every 
man according ta his -works. I'his confid- 
eration might have been abundantly suf- 
ficient to quiet their' rninds, and tecancile 
them to the various; diflicuhies, troubles, 
arid affliftions which lay before .tliem. 
Then their despised Mailer will appear in 
greater glory and dignity than the moft 
pompous earthly prince; he will affume 
the birth-right of the fkies, and fit as the 
supreme judge (^i heaven and earth : then 
will his enemies meet with the punifliment 
which they have so juftly deserved, and 
his friends mofl afluiedly receive their 
eternal reward ; but those who, through 
fear of the difficulties and troubles which 
lay before them, liave deserted his cause, 
will find themselves deserted, and finally 
rcjetled at that awful day ; for, said our 
great Redeemer, Wfiosoever, therefore, fJiall 
be afliamsd of me and of my words in this 
adulterous and, fiful generation, of him 
also fhall the Son of man be nfamed, when 
he conieth in the glory of kis Father tdtli the 
holy angds. ' ' • ' 

As this is the firft time which our ex- 
alted Redeemer mentioned this ijreat event 
to his disciples, it may uot be amiss to 
take a fhort view of this grand, magni- 
ficent, awful, and moft interefting scene. 
As the Son of God is the exalted person 
who (hall judge the world in righteousness, 
let us, for a moment, contemplate the 
glory, grandeur, and dignity in which he 
will appear : he himself declares, that he 
will appear in the glory of his Father, and 
with the holy angels : he will appear ar- 
rayed in the majcfty of that God, who 
dwells iu light, and whose glory no mortal 
can approach; not the bleffed inhabitants 
of that heavenly world, can bear the blaze 
of that boundless glory which surrounds 
the eternal throne, but veil their faces in 
the presence of that God who dwells m. 
light, and fills the heavenly regions with 
the boundless blaze of uncreated bright- 
ness. How small, how dim a speck is the 
sun, when compared with the Et-e'rnal 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



103 



Fountain of Light, or with the brightness 
of that God, v/ho pours the beamy radi- 
ance from world to world, and could, with 
one ray of glory darted from his throne, 
light up a thousand suns. 

In this boundless brightness, and majeftie 
pomp, will the Son of God appear. Ah ! 
how unlike the despised Galilean; how un- 
like the person, who groaned and bled on 
Calvary ! Not now attended with twelve 
weak disciples, twelve mean, illiterate 
fifhermen ; but surrounded with myriads 
of coeleftial spirits, and numberless hofts 
of mighty angels. With what cceleftial 
pomp, with what unutterable brightness, 
they descend through the fky, while the 
sun, overpowered with exceffive light, 
flirinks and disappears ; and the whole 
bright alTembly descends from heaven xoith 
a JlKuit, with the mice oj the archangel, and 
the trump- of God. The trumpet, with 
tremendous roar, resounds, through the 

reg;ions of the dead : the dead awake and 
.0 .... 

rise ; some exulting with joy at the fight of 
their Saviour, and others terrified, con- 
founded, and filled with inexprelfible hor- 
ror, at the fight of their Judge : the great 
and mighty, the rich and noble, warriors, 
captains, princes, and potentates who 
ruled the world, and did what they pleas- 
ed amongfl: the sons of men, now have 
loft all their honours and command, and 
are filled with the utmoft confternation, 
amazement, and dismay : they cannot 
bear the brightness of the Judge, they 
would plunge into eternal darkness, to 
avoid his piercing eye, and they call upon 
the rocks and mountains to fall on them, 
and hide them from the face of him that 
fitteth on the throne, and from the wrath 
oj the Lamb : for the great day of his 
wrath is come; and who Jhall be able to 
ft and ? 

However reluftant, they are forced to 
appear : urged by ftrong neceflity, and 
driven by frowning angels, they crowd to 
the bar, and ftand, trembling and aftonifh- 
ed, on the left-hand of their Judge. The 
eleft of God, gathered by angels from the 
uttermoft parts of the earth, are placed on 
the right-hand ; they lift up their heads 
Ij with joy, and, beho:ding the great Judge 
Ij of heaven and earth, with exultation and 
f transport can say. This is our God, we 
Ij have waited for him ; w<: will be glad and 



rejoice in him. And nov/ the time is come, 
when flagrant outrageous vice (hall be 
thrown down and despised, oppreflcd, af- 
flicted virtue ihall be exalted ; now is the 
time, when the myfteries of Providence 
lhall be unveiled, when all the clouds and 
darkness which surrounded the ways of 
God, will be cleared away, and the wisdom, 
juftice, and goodness of divine conduft, 
fully vindicated, both in those who are sa- 
ved, and those who periih : nov/ the church 
of Chkist, his spotless bride, purchased 
with his blood, fliall appear in all her glory 
and beauty, all vain hypocritical pretenders 
will be exposed, and every thing that of- 
fendeth, done away. 

An awful filence is proclaimed ; the 
books are opened ; the secrets of all hearts, 
and every dark deed which had been 
caretliily concealed, are brought to light ; 
and then the exalted King of the universe, 
who fits in Judgment, proceeds to pass 
that sentence, which mult ftand for ever. 
With looks of the moft kind, condescend- 
ing goodness, and unspeakable compla- 
cency and delight, he fiift beholds the 
happy heirs of life and glory, who had 
been enabled, by his grace, to believe in 
him for life and salvation, and bring forth 
such fruits of righteousness, as were 
honourable to his cause : these happy 
souls look up to their Judge, with such 
emotions as are above description, and, 
with inexpreflible joy, hear him pronounce 
this heart-expanding sentence, Come, ye 
blefjed oj my Father, inherit the kingdom 
prepared for you from the joundation of the 
world : for I was an hungered, and ye gave 
me meat ; I was tlvirfy, and ye gave me 
drink; I was a f ranger, and ye took me 
171 ; naked, and ye clothed mc ; I was fck, 
and ye vijited me ; I was in prison, and ye 
came unto mc. 

The redeemer of the Lord, with inef- 
fable joy, receive the approbation of their 
Judge : but their meek and humble heart:; 
will not take any praise to themselves, ncr 
ascribe the happiness they are going to re- 
ceive, to any thing done by ihem ; and, 
therefore, they meekly reply. Lord, when 
saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee ? or 
thirjly, and gave thee drrnk ? When sazo 
zue thee a. ftr anger, ar^d took thee in ? or 
naked, cnid clothed thee ? Or zohen sazo 
wc th.ec fick, or in pyiso?i, andyu-rie unto 



LIFE OF JE 



SUS CHRIST 



thee Our Lord approves and commends 
their huniility, bat at the same time, to 
let the whole aHcmbled world know, how^ 
kindly he accepted of every iullance ot 
the kindness and benevolence they had 
Ihewn to his people, he adds. Inasmuch 
as ye have done it unto one oj the Icajl 
of these my brethren, ye have done it un- 
to mc. 

The Tudcre then changes his counte- 
nance, and, with a look oHndignation and 
riling wrath, which pierces thmugh thein- 
n"ioit soul, he beholds the guilty wretches, 
who iland trembling at his left hand : 
filled with conscious guilt, and all the 
agonies of raging despair, they ftand ex- 
pefting their final doom, while these ac- 
cents break from the lips of their angry 
Judge: Depart from vie, ye cursed, into 
ei'criajliyig fire, prepared for the devil and 
his angels : for I was an hungered, and ye 
gave me no meat ; I was ihirfiy, and ye 
gave me no drink ; I was a fir anger, and 
yc took me not in ; naked, and ye clothed 
vie not ; fick, a?id in prison, and ye vifited 
vie not. The wicked, however conscious 
of guilt, not recollefting the precise afts 
of unkindness and contempt of the Son 
of God, here literally specified, are em- 
boldened to reply, Lord, when saw zve thee 
an hungered, or athirfi, or a fir anger, or 
naked, or fick, or in prison, and did not 
minifier unto thee? However willing they 
mav be to juflify themselves, our Lord 
well knows the naughtiness of their heart, 
and is fully acquainted with their evil 
deeds, and, therefore, he confounds them 
for ever with this reply ; Inasmuch as yc 
did it not to one of the leafi of these, ye did 
it not to me. 

The final and eternal sentence thus pas- 
sed, the execution immediately succeeds : 
alegi' n of mighty angels drive the black, 
liorrid train of trembhng finners from the 
judgnient-scat ; and, caught in a fiery tem- 
pc ft, they are precipitated into their dread- 
ful place of punilhment : the gulph of 
eternal horror and despair flretches wide 
its burning jaws to receive them at their 
fall ; and they are torviented with fire and 
brimfione, in the presence of the holy angels, 
and in the presence of the Lamb : and the 
smoke cj their torment ascendeth up for 
ever and ever. 



Mean wdiile, the frienes and favourites 
of the Eternal King, are conduced to the 
paradise of God, and safe lodged in the 
realms of eternal bleffedness and reft : 
these happy realms, formed by the Eternal 
God, for the abode of his people, contain 
every thing which can satisfy the pure 
defires of an immortal spirit, and fill the 
soul with holy and ever-growing delight : 
now every fear, every sorrow, and every sin 
is done away ; and the happy inhabitants 
of this glorious place, drink full ftreams 
of bliss , and partake of those joys which 
proceed from the throne of God, and of 
the Lamb : now the redeemed of the 
Lord, forming one vaff, one happy 
society, dwell in that splendid city, where 
the full glory of the Eternal God is 
manifest in that exalted Saviour, who is 
emphatically flyled, the brightness qf his 
Father s glory, and the express image of 
his person. Here every happy believer in 
the Son of God, dwells in the presence of 
his Saviour ; beholds this supreme objeft 
of his love, face to face, and is clothed by 
him in the beauty and glory of 
immortality. But all description fails : 
the human mind, in its present beclouded 
ftate, cannot bear the blaze of immortal 
glory, nor receive any adequate ideas of 
that boundless bliss, which the Lord will 
beflow on his people : For eye hath not 
seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered 
into the heart of man to conceive what God 
hath prepared for those that love him. 

As this dodrine of Christ's being ap- 
pointed the universal Judge of heaven and 
earth, might seem incredible to the dis- 
ciples ; especially, as our Lord had but 
juft before given them the humbling ac- 
count of his sufferings and death ; he pro- 
ceeded to inform them, that some who 
heard him speak, fhould see so much of his 
glory and his kingdom while they lived, 
as fhould convince them, that his decla- 
ration was true : Verily, I say unto you^ 
said he, there be some fianding 'here, which 
fiiall not tafie oJ death, till they see the ^.on 
of man coming m his kingdom. Agreeable 
to this prediction, the disciples lived to see 
the transfiguration of their Mafter, and to 
be witnefics of his glorious resurreftion, 
and his triumphant asccnfion into heaven ; 
they lived to see the descent of the Holy 
Gliofl, and the doctrines of the gospel 



AND LIVES or PUS APOSTLES. 



10^ 



propagated in various remote parts of the 
M-orld ; and some cf them lived to see that 
a'ss'ful and ample displav of divine ven- 
geance, manifffted in the deftructicn of 
that unbelieving race, who were the pro- 
feffed enemies and murderers of the Lord 
of hfe, and iliat wicked ciiy where be vras 
crucified. 

The firfl of these great events succeeded 
tlie declaration m about fix days, when our 
great Redeemer being with the multitude 
in the countr)' of Caesarea-Philippi. he left 
them in the plain, and, accompanied by 
Peter, James,, and John, ascended an ex- 
ceeding his:h mountain. In this solitude, 
while our Lord was praying he vras trans- 
figured ; his face affumed a g-lorious radi- 
ance, aud emitted a beamv brightness, not 
inferior to the sun fcinino- in its fiirengrh : 
his garments flione with a snow\' white- 
ness, far beyond any thing which human 
art could produce, and, like the fair beams 
of the morning light, glowed with a sweet 
refulgence, not inferior to the brightness 
of his countenance. Thus, for a Ihort 
time, the Son of God appeared in his na- 
tive glon,', and the majefl:ic brightness of 
his divinity fiicne through the veil of his 
human nature. To heighten the solemnity 
and CTrandeur of the sence. Moses, the 2:reat 
lawgiver of Israel, and Elijah, the great 
prophet of the Lord, and supporter of the 
law,, appeared in the beauties of immor- 
tality, and fiione in those robes with which 
the inhabitants of the heavenly Jerusalem 
are adorned. 

It appears that the disciples, being heavv 
with fleep at the time of prayer, did not 
see the beginning of tliis glorious scene ; 
they, however, awaked in the utmoft sur- 
prise, to behold the place ftiining with 
heavenly glory : they had loft the firft part 
of this bright display of our Redeemer's 
divinity, and of the conversation he held 
with the two great prophets, who came 
down from heaven on this great occafion ; 
but they hear4 so much, as gave them to 
underftand, that these glorious penons 
had been talking of those things which 
their Mafter had lately informed them ofi 
His sufferings and death, which v/ould scon 
be accoraplifiied at Jerusalem, though 
they appeared to thera of such an humbling 
nature, and contrar)' to the character ot 
the Meffiah, thev found were not unworthy 
No. ' 



the contemplation of the greatefl persona- 
ges of the heavenly world ; and thcugh 
the mentioning them, had lately given 
such offence to Peter, he perceived that 
they were spoken of by persons of 
superior dignity and undcrftanding, as 
highly honourable to the character of his 
Mafter. But the feeble nerves of the three 
disciples could not bear the blaze of heav- 
enly glory ; tliey were amazed, confound- 
ed, and terrified, and scarce knew where 
they were, or how they ought to behave : 
but the forwardness of Peter's dispofition 
prompted him to sav something on the oc- 
cafion, though he confidered not the pro- 
priety or tendency of it : Ma/Ic7\ said he, 
it is good for us to to be here ; and let us 
make three tdbcrnacles ; one for thee, one 
for Moses, and one for Elias. 

Peter having beheld such glory, as never 
before darted on mortal fight, and seen his 
Mafter affume an appearance of grandeur 
and majeftv, far beyond his moft sanguine 
expeclations, he concluded, no doubt, that 
Jesus had now taken upon him his pro- 
per dignity, and that the temporal king- 
dom, which he had so ardently defired, 
and impatiently expected, was now aftu- 
ally begun : especially as Elias, according 
to the prophecy of ^lalachi the prophet, 
had made his appearance : he, no doubt, 
concl Tided that he was come from heaven 
to alfift in rearing- ihe Meffiah's kingdom : 
Peter, therefore, thought it highly neces- 
sary to provide some accommodation for 
his Mafter, and his noble companions : 
perhaps, he intended to bring the reft of 
the disciples, and the multitude, who were 
waiting below, to behold the peerless glory 
of their Mafter, and his auguft affiftants ; 
this, he thought, v/ould be much better, 
and more honourable for him, than being 
put to death at Jerusalem, or sufPeririg those 
things which had been the subjecl of the 
late heavenly conversation : ilie defign of 
%\'hich Peter, at this time could not com- 
prehend : but while he yet spake, a bright 
cloud overfhadozved them: and, behold, a 
voice out oj the cloud, which said, This is 
my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased ; 
hear ye him. 

When the three disciples heard the voice, 
^\-hich was vaftly different to any they had 
heard before, and, at the same time that 
it seemed soft as the southern breeze, yet 
Cc 



ic6 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



it was a^\'•flll and majeftic as the thunder's 
roar ; iniprcllcd wuh trembhng awe, they 
fell with their faces to the ground, and 
continued in that pofture, till their com- 
panionate Mailer came to them, and gently 
touching tliem, bid them arise, and not be 
atraid. Tlicy immediately }o )ked about 
them, but the heavenly scene was with- 
drawn, and no person wa? seen but their 
divine Malter, in the plain and unadorned 
from in which he appeared before they 
ascended the mountain. 

Our Lord, having continued on the 
summit of the mountain all night with his 
three disciples, he early in the morning 
descended to the plain, and charged \.\\^m 
to conceal what they had seen, till he was 
risen from the dead. He was well aw^re, 
that the world, and even his own disciples, 
were Grangers to his spiritual kingdom, 
and had no idea of his ascending to heaveq, 
and beii^g highly exalted at the right-hand 
of God ;■ therefore, they could not com- 
prehend the defign of hi? transfiguration, 
and it was unneccffary to publifh it before 
his resuiTe6iion, as ^t could not he de- 
scribed, and, perhaps, WQuld i^^ot have 
been believed : ap,d the present j^ppearance 
of our Redeemer, joined with the afflic- 
tions, persecutions, svifferings, and sorrows 
which lay before hirn, might ftill tend to 
prejudice the minds of the people, and 
prevent them frorn beheving any account 
of his exaltation and glory. 

Nor were the disciples, at this time, able 
to undcrltand the do6i:rine of Christ's 
resurrection ; th?y had never learnt that 
the Melhah was to die, nor had they any 
conception of his rihng from the dead ; 
for they were fully persuaded that he was 
to abide for ever, and that his kingdom 
was to have no end. They seemed very 
much surprised at the departure of Elias, 
and at their Mafter's ceafing to fhine in 
the glorious manner they had so lately be- 
held on the mountain : nor could they 
comprehend the meaning of the prophet 
Malachi, who had prophehed of the coming 
ol Ellas, which their readers of the law ex- 
plained to refer to a time, prior to the 
appearance of the Mefhah. After long 
debating amongfl themselves, they con- 
cluded to apply to their Mafter, to solve the 
difficulty, and therefore alked him. Why 
Miy the ScrihcSy that Elias mujl fvjl comz? 



Tp this inquiry, our Lord replied, th^t thq 
Scribes had rightly explained the prophecy 
of Malachi, by declaring that fLlias muft 
come before the appearance of the Meffiah j 
but, at the sarpe time he informed them 
that this great prophet had made his ap- 
pearance, and had been used hy that per^ 
verse generation, in the same manper a$ 
the prophets of old had been tre?ited by 
their fathers : But I say unto you, said he, 
that EUas is come already, and they knew 
him nqt, hut. have done unto him uoha^tsoevyr 
they lijled : likewise Jliall also the Son oj 
man suffer of them. Then the disciples un- 
derstood that he spake to them of John thq 
Bapiijt. 

When Jesus descended to the foot of 
the mountain, attended by his three dis- 
ciples, he saw a great multitude surround- 
ing the nine, who had continued with th^ 
people while our Lord had been transfi- 
gured, and the Scribes disputing with them. 
The people seeing Jesus approach, ran to 
him with exultation and joy, and salutecj 
him with the warmeft gratitude, and the 
mofl respe6tful reverence. Our Lord ha- 
ving joined the company, he immediately 
afked the Scribes, what was the subjeft of 
their debate with his disciples ? To which 
one of the compapy answered, Mafler, I 
h(LV4 brought untQ thee my son, which hath, 
a dumb spirit ; and wheresoever he taketlj, 
h%m, he teareth him .; and he foameth, 
and gnajlieth wit,h his teeth, ana pineth 
awqy : and I spake unto thy disciples, 
that they Jliould cajl him out, bn^t they 
could not. 

This answer seems to indicate, tl^atthe 
Scribes had been reproacing the disciples, 
on account of thei^ inability to reflore the 
afflicfed youth : and, no doubt, they re- 
joiced, that, at laft, a devil had a,ppeared 
who was too hard for them, and, perhaps, 
would not submit to their ^^fter. Tha^ 
something like this had been the subje^l of 
their conversation, is evident frgin our Sa- 
viour's reply : 0 faithless generation, sa,i(\ 
he, hozo long Jkall I be mth yQi^L, Mot^ 
long Jhall 1 suffer you? After having 
spoken in this manner to the proud, self-, 
conceited, sceptical Scribes, our Lord 
turned to the father of the affliclec| young 
man, and said. Bring thy son hither. Thq 
affli61ed father obeyed ; but no sooner wa^ 
I the youth brought into the prese,p.ce pi" thQ 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



great Ruler of earth and heaven, than the 
evil spirit attacked him with double fury : 
the spirit tare him; and he fell on the 
ground, and wallowed foaming. 

Jt is not to be supposed, that the bleffed 
J^SLfS could not have prevented this fu- 
rious attack ; but he was pleased to suffer 
it, probably, that the minds of the spetla- 
tors rnight be the more affe6led with the 
deplorable condition of the sufferer, and 
have the more julf and lively ideas of 
that wisdom, pov>^er, and goodness, which 
fliould give him relief : and, it is probable, 
with the same views, he afked the mourn- 
ful father, how long his son had been in 
this pitious condition ? To which he 
replied, Of a child. And oft times it 
hath cafi him into the fire, and into the 
■waters to dejiroy him: but, if thou canjl 
do any thiiig, have corripojjion on us^ and 
help us. 

It seems, that the inability of the dis- 
ciples to caft out this evil spirit, had great- 
ly discouraged the aftlifted father ; and 
the exquifite torture and apparent agonies 
of his son. and the remembrance of their 
long continuance, had dispirited him so 
much, that he began to fear, that this 
poffeffion was too ftrong for the power of 
Jesus himself, as the Scribes had affirm- 
ed ; which was the reason of his expreffing 
himself with so much hehtation and doubt, 
when he told our Lord, how long his son 
had been afHifted. But Jesus, to make 
him senfible of his miftake, as well as 
gently to reprove him for his unbelief and 
groundless fears, said unto him, If thou 
canJl believe, all things are poffible to hivi 
that believeth. The father, aftefted with 
this declaration, and joy, at the supposed 
polTibility of the relief of the son, replied 
with tears. Lord, I believe ; help thou mine 
unbelief. The vehement manner in which 
the afflifted parent spoke these words, 
caused the crowd to gather about him ; 
when Jesus rebuked the foul spirit, and 
said unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, 
I charge thee come out of him, and enter no 
more into him. 

The awful voice, at which all the devils 
tremble, had no sooner pronounced these 
words, than the devil, with an hideous 
howling, and convulfing the tormented 
youth in the most frightful manner, came 
out ; leaving the youth, in a manner, sense- 



less and motionless, as one dead. Our 
Lord then, taking him by the hand, re- 
ftored him to life, and delivered him per- 
fecfly recovered, both in body and mmd, 
to his father. 

The nine disciples, who had unsucceff- 
fully attempted to drive out this obftinate 
daemon, remained moll attentivCiy filent 
during this transaftion : doubtless they 
were glad to find, that this dreadful and 
powerf^ul devil, was not an over-match for 
their Mafter, however thev were mortified 
to find, that he was too hard for them. 
They were very defirous to know the rea- 
son, why they could not dispoffess this dae- 
mon, as they had done others, but did not 
chuse to afk their Mafter in the hearing of 
the multitude ; but when he had retired, 
they afked him, why they failed in their 
attempt to reftore the pofleffed young 
man ? Our Lord informed them, it was 
because of their unbelief, For^ said he, 
if ye have faith as a grain of mufard-seed, 
ye fhall say unto this mountain, Remove 
hence to yonder place, and it fiall re- 
move ; and nothing fiall be impofjible to 
you. 

Our Lord then retired to the unfre- 
quented parts of Galilee ; and in this soli- 
tary retreat, he again inftruclcd his dis- 
ciples in the nature of his kingdom, and 
the defign of his coming into the world; 
laying before them a view of his sufferings, 
death, and speedy resurreftion, There, 
doubtless, was a necefTity of linculcating 
these disagreeable and unpopular thruths 
frequently on their minds; for, though 
they muil remember how fliarply Peter 
was reproved for oppofmg the declaration 
of these events, yet our Lord's prediftions 
concerning this matter, were very flowly 
received ; and the national prejudices 
which the disciples had so ftronglyimbibed, 
which represented the grandeur, glory, 
and perpetuity of the Aleffiah's temporal 
kingdom, would not permit them to be- 
lieve it poffible that he fhould die. 

After having abode a fhort time in the 
desert part of Galilee, our Lord returned 
to Capernaum, the place of his general 
abode. Soon aftsr his arrival at that city, 
the tax-gatherers applied to Peter, inqui- 
ring if his Mailer would pay the tribute : 
Peter promised them that his Mafler 
%\'ould satis fv tlieir demand ; but, on fur- 



io8 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



ther confideration, was afraid to mention 
the thing to him : perhaps he thought it 
derogatory to the dignity of so great a 
person to pay tribute to any potentate on 
earth. But, however cautious Peter might 
be of mentioning the affair, it was no se- 
cret to his Mailer, which our Lord soon 
apprised him of, by propohng the follow- 
ing queftion ; VI hat tlunkcji thou, Simon ? 
Of whom do the kings of the earth take 
cufiom or tribute ? of their own children, 
or Jlr angers ? Peter saith unto him, Of 
f rangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are 
the children free. Peter, by this queftion, 
was fully satisfyed, that our Lord knew 
his thoughts, and had fully penetrated the 
affair which was in agitation ; he was also 
convinced, that, as the Son of God, and 
Heir of all things, he was under no obli- 
gation to pay tribute to the greateft mo- 
narch on earth : but our Lord, to avoid 
giving offence, condescended to submit to 
the claim ; and proposed to Peter the fol- 
lowing miraculous method of raifmg the 
money : Go thou to the sea, said he, and 
cajl an hook, and take up the fffi that 
firft Cometh up, and when thou haft opened 
his mouth, thou fialt find apiece of money : 
that take, and give it unto them for me and 
thee. 



Our Lord, by this miraculous manner 
of paying that tribute, wliich he was under 
no obligation to pay, teaches us, that in 
all common cases, we Ihould avoid giving 
offence to the civil power ; and rather sub- 
mit to a demand, which may seem burden- 
some and oppreffive in a small d-egrce, 
than offend our brethren, or difturb the 
tranquility of the eftate. And surely it be- 
comes the children of the Prince of peace 
to avoid all occafions of contention and 
discord, and rather give up some small 
part of their property, than give the 
rulers of the ftate any reason to com- 
plain. It may further be observed, that 
this miracle is a manifeft proof of the 
omnipresence of the Son of God : no less 
a person than he, who knows all things, 
and is present in all places, could know 
that the filh had the piece of money in 
it's mouth, while it was covered with the 
rolling surges of the sea ; and that this 
same fifh, ftill holding the piece of money, 
would come to Peter's hook. These are 
moft surprihng events, and with the reft 
of the miracles wrought by our great Re- 
deemer, blaze out like a bright conftella- 
tion, adorn his royal crown, and proclaim 
him the great King of the universe, the 
supreme Lord of heaven and earth. 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



109 



CHAPTER XX. 



Christ rep7'oves his Disciples for their fooliJJi contention about Superiority: He a7i- 
swereth the Petition of the Mother of Zebedcc's Children, and checketh the Indignation 
of the other Disciples thereat : He teacheth how to treat an offending Brother, and 
how eft to forgive him, by the Parable of a King, ivho puniflied one of his Servants 
for refufing that Mercy to his Fellow, which he had experienced from his Lord 
in a large Degree : He then goeth to Jerusalem at the P^eaft of Tabernacles, 
where he teacheth in the Temple : 'The Rulers send Officers to apprehend him, who 
being ft.ruck with his Discourse, return without him, and are rebuked by the Phari- 
sees, who chidi Nicodemus for taking his Part. Christ afterwards letteth go, un- 
condemned, the Woman taken in Adultery. 



THOUGH our blefled Saviour had 
lately given his disciples an alFeft- 
ing account of his sufferings and death ; 
and though their minds seemed to be very 
much caft down and dispirited at the 
expeftation of events, so mournful and 
diftrelhng in themselves, and so contrary 
to their expectations ; yet their grief seems 
to be of no long continuance, nor had 
they yet given up their favourite notion 
of the Meffiah's temporal kingdom : for, 
not many davs after, they had so far for- 
got the predi6lions of their M after, that 
they were engaged in a warm dispute con- 
cerning the pofts of honour in that king- 
dom. On what grounds several of the dis- 
ciples advanced their pretenfions to be 
greateft, is not related by the evangelifts ; 
but it is very plain, that those claims did 
not originate fronl any intimations given 
them by their Mafter, of his defign to ad- 
vance any of them above the reft ; for he 
very severely rebuked them for their pride 
and folly, and they were fearful of letting 
him know what subjeft they had been 
disputing about. 

Our Lord did not direftly proceed to 
reprimand ' his disciples on account of 
the above conversation, but firft afked them, 
what they were disputing about by the 
way ? They were confounded at the 
queftion, and, as they knew it would be 
in vain to attempt, either to evade a 
discovery, or to conceal the truth, they 
feared to return an answer. Jesus, per- 
ceiving their confuiion, soon gave them to 
underiland, that he well knew the subjeft 
of their debate, and that he highly disao- 
proved it: having commanded their par- 
No, 5. 



ticular and earneft attention to what he 
was going to advance, he said, If any man 
defires to be firfi, the same fhall be lafl, 
and servant of all. And then, to teach 
them the useful leftbn of humility, he took 
a little child, and set him in the midft of 
them : Verily, I say unto you, said he, ex- 
cept ye be converted, and become as little 
children, ye fhall not enter into the kingdom 
of heaven. Whosoever, thercfore,fiiall humble 
himself as this little child, the same is 
greateft in the kingdom of heaven. 

As our Lord, at this time, thought pro- 
per to discountenance all pretenfions to 
superiority amongft his disciples, it is evi- 
dent, that he had given no supremacy to 
Peter, when he declared his approbation 
of his declaration of faith, as before re- 
lated. Had he, when he told that disciple 
that he gave him the keys of the kingdom of 
heaven, defigned to exalt him above the 
reft of the disciples : or had they under- 
ftood his words in that sense, they could 
not poflibly have been at any loss to know 
who was to be the greateft ; nor is it likely 
they would have contended about an affair 
which had, in the presence of them all, 
been finally settled by their Mafter: neither 
is it poftible to suppose, that, if our great 
Redeemer had given the pre-eminence to 
Peter, he would have blamed his disciples 
for talking about it, and not on this occa- 
fion have confirmed his former grant. 

The juftice of this remark is further 
confirmed by the answer which our great 
Redeemer gave to the wife of Zebedee, 
when ftie presented a petition to him in 
behalf of her sons: flie had ftronoly im- 
bibed the national error of the Jews, re- 
D d 



no 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



spefting the MenTiah's kingdom ; and, as 
me supposed that her sons, from their near 
relation to our Lord, might claim a pe- 
culiar fhare in his favour, (he presented 
her request, that one might fit on his right- 
hand, and the other on his left, in his king- 
dom. To this petition, our Saviour re- 
plied. To Jit on my right-hand and on my 
left-hand, is not mine to give ; but it Jliall 
be given to them for whom it is prepared. 

Tile reft of the disciples having heard 
the requeft, and remarked our Redeemer's 
reply, were much offended at the pride 
-and vanity of the brothers, and could not 
see any r^^ason, why they fliould expeftso 
peculiar and diftinguiihed a mark of fa- 
vour. To put an end to all contention on 
so weak and frivolous an account, our 
Lord called his disciples in such a manner, 
as to engage and fix their attention, and 
aid \iMo thrill, Yd k:ijm thit thiy which 
are accounted to rule over the Gentiles, ex- 
ercise lordfiib over them; and their great 
ones exzrcise authority upon them : but so it 
Jliill not he a}nongfi you ; but whosoever will 
be great amongfl you, Jliall be your minifler ; 
and whoioevzr of you will be the chief ejl, 
flmll be the servant of all. 

Such is the language of our great Re- 
deemer, who is sole King and Lawgiver 
in his church ; and may we notjuftly con- 
clude, that the pretences of the church of 
Rome to infallibility and supremacy, which 
fhe would have us believe have descended 
from the apoftle Peter to the pope, as his 
succeiTor, have no foundation in Scripture 
or reason, but are an unjuft and arbitary 
usurpation, defigned to advance and enrich 
the priefthood. and impoverifh, abuse, and 
enflave mankind. 

The exalted Saviour of mankind, having 
thus gently rebuked hi? discip;e3 for their 
eager and unabating defires after worldly 
grandeur, John, one of the sons of Zebe- 
dee, perhaps to give a turn to the con- 
versation, informed his Mafter, that they 
had seen one cafting out devils in his 
name, and had forbidden him, because 
he had not joined himself to their com- 
pany. To which our Lord replied, that 
thiy ought not to have forbidden him, 
because no person would attempt to work 
miracles in his name, who did not enter- 
tain a very jufl conception of his divi- 



nity. Forbid him not, smd he ; for there is 
no man which fhall do a miracle in my 
name, that can lightly speak evil of me. 

By this language our Redeemer exhort- 
ed them to coniider, that whosoever did 
not oppose him, may be confidered as 
his friends ; and the cafting out devils 
in his name, would advance his reputation, 
and promote his intereft, though the 
devils themselves, and the persons who 
rejefted them, might defign the contrary : 
he further informed them that the Jeaft: 
degree of friendfliip and respeft fhewn 
to his cause, though it was no more than 
a cup of cold water given to his disciples, 
when they ftood in need of such a favour, 
was acceptable to him, and would cer- 
tainly find it's full reward hereafter. Who- 
soever, said he, fjiall give you a cup of 
cold water in my name, because you belong 
to Chrifl ; verily, I say unto you, hcfJiail 
not lose his reward. At the same time, 
our Lord gave them to underftand, that 
the Icaft discouragement to his servants in 
their duty, would be remarked, and pun- 
iftied with the greateft severity : And 
whosoever fhall offend one of these little ones 
that believe in me, it is better for him that 
a millftone were hanged about his neck, and 
he we^e cafl into the sea. 

From hence our great Redeemer took 
occafion to remark, that it was better and 
more advantageous to us, to deny our- 
selves the enjoyment of those things which 
are moft pleafing to our sense, and which 
our corrupt affe6tions might be as loth to 
part with, as with an hand, a foot, or an 
eye, than by any indulgence or sensual 
gratification, to give offence to the dis- 
ciples of Christ, or prevent the success 
of his gospel : and, as the disciples of 
Christ were appointed to preach the glo- 
rious gospel to a wicked world, to fhew 
all nations the ftupidity and folly of their 
idolatry, to teach the uncorrupted worftiip 
of the true God, and the praftice of every 
virtue, Jesus exhorted them to be parti^ 
cularly careful of their condu6l and beha- 
viour ; for, if their lives were diftionour- 
able to the cause of the gospel, they would 
be useless and despised, like salt which had 
loft it's savour. But amongft all the vices 
which prevail in the hearts of mankind, 
there is none more contrary to the nature 
and genius of the religion of Jesus, or 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



Ill 



more likely to prevent the usefulness of 
the preachers of his gospel, than a spirit 
of pride; of this, therefore, our Lord 
particularly cautioned his disciples to be- 
ware ; for, he alTured them, that the 
meaneft person is an objeft of the paternal 
care of the great Creator, and is support- 
ed and defended by his particular provi- 
dence ; such, therefore, are not to be 
despised ; for our Lord declared, that 
their angels do always behold the face of his 
heavenly Father. 

And to fliew the particular notice and 
care which his Eternal Father takes of his 
people, and with what tender regard he 
always beholds the believers in his Son, 
our great Redeemer proceeded in this man- 
ner, How think ye, said he, if a man have 
an hundred fieep, and one of them be gone 
aflray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, 
and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh 
that which is gone aftray? And if it be, 
that he finds it, verity, I say unto you, he 
■rejoiceth more of that flieep, than of the 
ninety and nine which went not aftray. 
Even so, it is not the will of your Father 
xohich is in heaven, that one of these little 
ones fhould perfJi. 

Our Lord having declared the heavy 
vengeance which would certainly fall on 
all who injured his disciples, and opposed 
the propagation of his gospel ; and ob- 
served the tender care with which his 
Almighty Father beholds his people, and 
their certainty of proteftion and defence ; 
he proceeds to warn them of taking their 
cause into their own hands, and pursuing, 
with hafty and unreasonable resentment, 
any who had offended them. If thy brother. 
said he, fhall trespass agaivfi thee, go and 
tell him his fault between thee and him 
alone : if he fhall hear th-e, thou hafl gained 
thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, 
then take with thee one or two more, that 
in the mouth of two or three witneffes every 
word may be efiablflied. And if he ftall 
negleEl to hear them, tdl it unto the church : 
hut if he negled to hear the church, let him 
ll he unto thee as an heathen man, and a 
\ publican. 

1 Our Saviour then proceeds to inform 
\ ihem, that the Supreme Judge of heaven 
j' and earth will intereft himself in their be- 
|l half, when they are juftly offended, and 
:j the sentence which they pass on such of- 



fenders will be ratified in heaven : Verily, 
I say unto you, proceeded he, whatsoever 
ye fhall bind on earth, fhall be bound in 
heaven : and whatsoever ye fhall loose on 
earth, fhall be loosed m heaxien. The mean- 
ing of this is, that if the method vou take 
with an offending brother is bleffed to the 
end you defigned, and he is brought to a 
real repentance, he is loosed from the 
guilt of his fin, and llands acquitted at 
the bar of Supreme Juflice : but, on the 
other hand, if all methods are used in vain, 
and the offender ftill continues impenitent, 
and perfifls in his evil ways, he is bound 
by the chains of his guilt, and cannot 
escape deserved punifhment. 

Our bleffed Saviour then proceeded to 
lay down some confiderations, which ought 
to encourage good men to use their utmoff: 
endeavours to convince hnners of the 
error of their ways, and bring them to fm- 
cere repentance, and to offer up their 
earneft and persevering prayers to the God 
of all grace, for his divine afTiflance in so 
great a work, by which only it can be ef- 
fefted : for our Lord informs them, that 
his heavenly Father would always hear 
their prayers, and grant their pt titioni., if 
confiflent with the defigns of his provi- 
dence, and the methods of his grace. 
Again, I say unto you, said he, that if two 
of you fiall agree on earth, as touching any 
thing that they fiall afk, it fliall be done 
for them of my Father which is in hea- 
ven : for zuhere two or three arc gathered 
together in my name, there am I in the midfl 
of them. 

Peter had carefully attended to the doc- 
trine of forgiveness of injuries, as incul- 
cated by his Mafter ; doubtless, he saw the 
beauty and dignity of such a rule of con- 
duct, and defired it to be further explained : 
Lord, said he, how oft fiall my brother fin 
againft me, and I forgive him ? till seven 
times ? It seems by this queflion, that, 
however great and noble he apprehended 
this rule of conduft to be, he thought it 
was necefTary to observe some reffriftions 
in the prafti. e of it ; but his Mafter in- 
formed him, that it must not be limited to 
seven times, but carried on to seventy times 
seven, if the case required it. 

In order to fhew the beauty and dignity 
of this excellent moral precept, ard the 
necefhty of forgiving the greatcfl injuria? 



112 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



in every case, where the offending person 
is senhbleofhis i\\uh, and promises amend- 
ment ; our Lord, by way oF illultration, 
proposed the parable of two servants, 
debtors to one lord : Therefore, said he, is 
t/ie kingdom of heaven likened unto a cer- 
tain king, which would take account of his 
servants. And when he had begun to reckon, 
one was broug;ht unto him zohich owed him 
ten thousand talents. But forasmuch as he 
had not to pay, his lord commanded him to 
be sold, and his wife and children, and all 
that he had, and payment to be made. The 
servant, therefore, f II down, and worf lipped 
hini, saying. Lord, have patience with me, 
and I zuill pay thee all. Then the lord of 
that servant was moved with conipafjion, and 
loosed him, and forgave him the debt. But 
the same servant zvent out, aud found one 
of his fellow- servants, which owed him an 
hundred pence ; and he laid hands on him, 
and took him by the throat, saying. Pay me 
that thou owjt. And his fellow-servant fell 
down at his feet, and besought him, saying. 
Have patience with me, and I will pay thee 
all. And he would not: but went and caf 
him into prison, till he fiould pay the debt. 
So when his fellow-servants saw what zvas 
done, they were sorry, and came and told 
unto their lord all that was done. Then 
his lord, after that he had called him, said 
unto him, 0 thou wicked servant, I frgave 
thee all that debt, because thou defredfi me : 
fiouldeji not thou also have had compaffon 
on thy fellow- servant, even as I had pity on 
thee ^ And his lord was wroth, and dehver- 
ed him unto the tormentors, till he fiould pay 
all that was due unto him. 

By this aftefting narrative, our Lord 
beautifully displays the extent of divine 
forgiveness, and the obligations which the 
sons of men, to whom God hath forgiven 
so much, are under to forijive one another. 
God is the ^reat king- and sovereign of 
all creatures, to him all are accountable, as 
servants are to a mafter ; he keeps a regis- 
ter of their aftions, as a tradesman keeps 
an account of his debts, and a day will 
surely come, when they will be called to 
a reckoning. The servant who owed ten 
thousand talents, represents every man that 
lives in the world : the enormous debt 
which men owe to their Creator, is but 
faintly described by that prodigious sum ; 
for the fins of thought, vrord, and deed. 



which the mofl correft and regular of man- 
kind commit, exceed all conception, and 
may jullly be compared to the ftars of 
heaven for multitude, or the sand on the 
sea fhore. The plea of the insolvent 
debtor. Have patience with me, and I will 
pay thee all, is an elegant description of 
the expeftations of men in general, to ob- 
tain the divine forgiveness, by their future 
good behaviour, and thinking to perform 
such good deeds as may make amends for 
their former guilt : but the lord, knowing 
how impolfible it was for this servant to 
pay this enormous sum, had compaflion on 
him, and freely forgave the debt. Hence, 
we learn the freeness of divine forgiveness ; 
it is not on account of any thing which 
has been done, or can be done by the sons 
of men, that the great Jehovah is induced 
to pardon their iniquities ; but his forgive- 
ness flows freely from the rich fountain of 
his own infinite mercy, that mercy which 
he hath magnified, and fully raanifefled to 
the world in the gospel of his Son : and 
whoever is made partaker ot the rich bles- 
fing of divine forgiveness, is laid under 
the higheft obligations to forgive his fellow- 
creatures, and to extend that forgiveness, 
if required, beyond the limits prescribed 
by our Lord, even beyond the number of 
seventy times s«ven : but such is the cor- 
ruption and depravity of the human heart, 
that we are too prone to forget, or care- 
lessly overlook the mercies received, and 
confider not how unjufl:ly the great Judge 
of heaven and earth might call us to a 
ftrift account for our numerous offences, 
while we are pursuing our fellow-creatures 
with implacable resentment; nor do we 
confider how much we are indebted to the 
Supreme Lord of universal nature, while, 
like the unmerciful servant, we take our ■ 
fellow-creature by the throat, with, Pay 
me what thou oweft. But whosoever duly 
confiders the vaft bebt they owe to God, '\ 
and are enabled to rely on his infinite 
niercy for forgiveness ; if they have a juft 
view of their unworthincss and insolvency, . 
and are enabled to seek forgiveness in the \ 
way which God hath appointed, will, in a 5 
greater or less degree, be careful to culti- ^ 
vate a placable forgiving frame of mind ; 
especially when they confider those re- 
markable words with which our Lord con- ; 
eludes this narrative : for having declared, \ 



AND Ln'ES or HIS APOSTLES. 



that the lord delivered the cruel servant to' 
the tc^-merdors, till lie Jhould pay all that 
was due unto him, he aads, so likewise fiall 
my heavenly Father do also unto you, ?/ ye 
from your hearts jorgive not one another 
your irespnjjes. 

Having dehvered these precepts, nur 
great Redeemer departed into Gahlec. 
paiTing through the countr)' beyond Jor- 
dan ; by that means giving the Jc^vs which 
inhabited that country an opportunity to 
hear his heavenly discourses, and to receive 
the benefit of his all-healing power: and 
after having taken a tour through those 
diftant parts, he returned to his own city 
Nazareth. 

The feaft of tabernacles now approached, 
when the males of the Jewifli nation, ca- 
pable of travelling, repaired to Jerusalem, 
and dwelt seven davsinthe tabernacles, or 
booths made of boughs of trees, in com- 
memoration of their fathers having had no 
other habitation duringr their forty years 
sojourning in the wilderness. Some of 
the kinsmen of the bleffed Jf.su s, being 
about to take a journey to the capital on 
this occafion, they delired him to accom- 
pany them thither, and openly fhew him- 
self to the whole nation of the Jews. They 
did not believe, that he was really the 
MelTiah so long expected by their nation, 
and they condemned his conduft, as unna- 
tural and absurd, from a person who made 
such pretenfions : they could not conceive 
what induced him to spend so much of his 
time in deserts, and remote parts of the 
kingdom, while he alTumed so public a 
character as that of the Redeemer of Israel . 
Jerusalem, the seat of power, the habita- 
tion of the gi"; at men of the nation, and 
the place of general resort, was, in their 
opinion the propereft place for him to 
publifli his dottrines, and work his miracles 
in: these, they thought, being exhibited 
in public, before the great and learned 
men of the nation, might have a better ef- 
fect, than being performed in obscure re- 
_ treats amongfl the ignorant and illiterate. 
The decifion of the doctors of the law, and 
the great men of the nation in his favour, 
they thought would increase the number 
of his disciples, and be a means of inducing 
the whole nation to own him for the Mes- 
fiah, wether he were really that great per- 
son or not ; Depart hence, said they, and 
No. ,h. ■ . ' 



go into Judca. that thy disciples also may 
see the icorks that thou doejl : Jor there is no 
man that docth any thing in secret, and he 
himselj seekcth to be known openly. Ij thou 
do these things, Jhcw thyself to the world. 

But our Lord was no ftrangcr to the 
inhabitants of Jerusalem, and, therefore 
he did not think proper to refide amongft 
thrm any longer than was absolutely nc- 
ceffar}' : he well knew their inveterate pre- 
judices, their obftinacy and perverseness, 
and their prevailing unbelief; and was 
fully convinced, that they would not re- 
cede his doflrines, nor be induced, by his 
miracles, to believe in him, but would be 
more likely to use all their power to deftrov 
him. before he had finiilied the work which 
he affumed our nature to perform : for 
which reasons he did not choose to accom- 
pany his relations to the feaft, or go in a 
public manner to Jeru^^alem : My time, said 
our great Redeemer, to these unbeheveing 
relations, is not yet come : but your time is 
always ready. I he world cannot hate you; 
but me it hateth, because I teffy of it 
that the works thereof are evil. Go ye up 
unto this feaft : 1 go not up yet unto this 
feast : for my time is not yet full come. This 
was as though he had said, it is not expe- 
dient that I fhould go to Jerusalem before 
the feaft begins : you may advance to the 
city whenever you please, there is nothing 
to make you afraid ; the Jews are your 
friends, you have never offended them, nor 
have you done any thing to displease them : 
but the purity of the do6trine I have 
preached amongft them, and the plainness 
and freedom of speech with wich I have 
opposed their foolifh traditions, and re- 
proved their hypocrisy, and other enor- 
mous vices, have raised their resentment 
and provoked their malice to the utmoft 
height ; and, therefore, as the time of my 
suffering is not yet come, it is not proper 
for me to go so soon to Jerusalem. 

Perhaps there might be another reason 
why our Redeemer did not choose to ac- 
company his relations to the feaft of taber- 
nacles at this time: the vaft concourse of 
people which annually attended this solem- 
nity, would fill all the roads to the capital, 
and these gathering around him, and at- 
tending him to Jerusalem, would have 
made a noise in the city, and have given 
frefh offence to his enemies, which might 
E e 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRISt 



have exasperated them to that degree, 
that they might, as they had done before, 
have attempted his life, and their crueky 
and rage might have prevented his doftrine 
and miracles having their proper efft6l : 
he, therefore, chose to continue in Galilee 
till the crowd were gone up to the feaft, 
when he followed, as it were in secret, 
neither preaching nor working miracles by 
the way ; so that no crowd followed him, 
nor was there any rejoicing at his ap- 
proach. 

As Jesus did not go publicly to Jeru- 
salem, so neither did he, on his arrival, 
repair to the temple, and there preach 
openly to the people. This gave rise to 
several disputes amongft the Jews concern- 
ing his charafter and condu6l ; some af- 
firmed that he was a true prophet, and his 
not coming to the feafl could only arise 
from some accident, which had prevented 
him ; others maintained that he was an 
impofler and deceiver, and though he as- 
sumed the sacred charafter of the prophet, 
he did not keep the law, nor regard the 
inftitutions which they had received from 
heaven. 

But about the middle of the feafl, Jesus 
appeared openly in the temple, and pub- 
licly taught the people, delivering his di- 
vine discourses with energy, force, and 
spirit, and such flrength of reasoning, join- 
ed with such elegance of exprefTion, that 
his enemies were aflonifhed, as they knew 
he had not enjoyed the benefit of a learned 
education. Now, about the midji oj the 
J-eajt, Jesus went up and taught. And the 
Jews marvelled, saying. How knoweth this 
man letters, having never learned ? To this 
the exalted Saviour of mankind replied : 
My doftrine was not produced by human 
wisdom ; the learned men and sages of 
this world were not my inflruftors ; but I 
received it from heaven, and it is the 
doftrine of the Great, Supreme, Eternal 
Father of the universe, whose MefTenger 
I am : My dodrine, said he, is not mine, 
but his that sent me. And our Lord further 
observed, that it might be gathered from 
the manner of his teaching, that his 
tlo6lrine was really divine ; he sought not 
the praise of man, he did not fland candi- 
date or popular applause, he did not seek 
to advance his own interefl, but the eternal 
interefl of mankind, and the glory of his 



heavenly Father: He, that speaketh of 
himself, said he, seeketh his ozm glory ; 
but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, 
the same is true, and no unrighteousness is 
in him. 

Some of the Jews presumed to call 
Jesus a false prophet, because, in the 
porches of the pool of Bethsaida, he had 
healed an impotent man on the Sabbath- 
day, which, thty pretend was a violation 
of the law of Moses, and what a good 
man would not be guilty of. In answer to 
which, our great Redeem.er told them, 
that hov/ever they might pretend to rever- 
ence the authority of Moses and his law, 
they made no scruple to violate the mod 
sacred and effential of his precepts ; this 
was manifefl in their condu6l towards him- 
self: contrary to all the principles of 
juflice and humanity, and every law of 
God and man, they had resolved to put 
him to death ; and, in order to execute 
their black, horrid, and infernal scheme, 
they were now laying plots againfl his 
life. 

To this charge the Jews replied, Thou 
haft a devil: Who goeth about to kill thee? 
To which Jesus answered to this effeft, I 
have performed a miracle, in favour of a 
diftreffed poor man, on the Sabbath-day : 
this you think contrary to the charafter of 
a good and pious man, and wonder how I 
could undertake it ; but I can give yoii 
an example out of your own law, in the 
case of circumcifion : Moses gave you that 
law, and you make no scruple of perform- 
ing the inftitution on the Sabbath-day : you 
think yourselves juflified in this, because it 
is a precept both of Moses and the fathers. 
Since therefore, ye think yourselves bound 
to dispense with the ftrift observance of 
the Sabbath, in order to perform a cere- 
monial precept, can you be angry with me 
because I, on the Sabbath-day, have ful- 
filled the moft sacred and immutable part 
of the moral law, by curing a man who 
was infirm in all the members of his body, 
and have not exerted so much bodily labour 
as you do in the praftice of the rite of 
circumcifion : confider therefore, the na- 
ture of the thing, be not blinded by pre- 
judice, be no longer attached to foolifh 
traditions, or superflitious opinions ; but 
make use of your reason, fhew yourselves 
men, and judge impartially : Moses, said 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



our great Redeemer, therefore gave unto you 
circumcijion ( not because it is of Mosey, but 
of the fathers ) ; and ye on the Sabbath-day 
circumcise a man. If a man on the Sabbath- 
day receive circumcijion, that the law of 
Moses fiould not be broken ; are ye angry 
at me, because I have made a man every whit 
zvhole on the Sabbath-day ? Judge not ac- 
cording to the appearance, but judge righte- 
ous judgment. 

Though the Jews could not answer this 
argument, they would not be convinced, 
but objefted to Jesus being the Meffiah, 
because they were acquainted with his pa- 
rents and relations : they apprehended, 
that when the Meffiah appeared his pedi- 
gree and relationfhip would not be known : 
and they founded their opinion on a pas- 
sage in the prophet Isaiah, Who fhall declare 
his generation ? They were full of resent- 
ment and malice, and some of them were 
defirous that he fhould be appreheded ; but 
Divine providence would not permit them 
to accompliih their cruel purpose, because 
the time of his sufferings was not yet come. 
But though his enemies beheld him with 
rancour and contempt, yet many of the 
people, convinced by his miracles, affefted 
by his divine discourses, and satisfied with 
the unanswerable reasons which he had ad- 
vanced in support of his charafter, believed 
on him, and publicly in the temple af- 
firmed that he was the MelTiah. The cvan- 
gehft informs us, that many of the people 
believed on him, and said, When Chriji 
Cometh, will he do more miracles than these 
which this man hath done? John vii. 31. 

The Scribes and Pharisees beheld the 
attachment of the common people to the 
Saviour of fmners, with the higheft indig- 
nation and contempt, and were so pro- 
voked, that they could bear it no longer ; 
and, accordingly, on the laft and great day 
of the feaft, they met in council to con- 
fider on some means to prevent his grow- 
ing popularity : the result of their delibera- 
tions, was a determination to apprehend 
him ; and, accordingly, the proper officers 
were dispatched from the council to arreft 
him, and bring him before them. While 
these things were in agitation in the coun- 
cil, Jesus was teaching in the temple, and 
he exhorted the people to give a diligent 
and unabating attention to his discourses ; 
not only because the subjeft matter of 



them was of the utmoft importance, but 
he informed them that their opportunity of 
hearing him would soon be over : Yet a 
little while, said he, am I with you, and 
then I go unto him that sent me. Yejhall 
seek me, andye Jhall not find me : and where 
lam, thither ye cannot come. 

Not underflanding that our Saviour al- 
luded to his death, resurreftion, and ascen- 
fion to the right-hand of God, whither no 
person in the body could follow him, the 
Jews were very much puzzled with this de- 
claration, and could by no means under- 
fland the meaning of it: they could form 
no other conjefture concerning the mean- 
ing of these words, than that our Lord de- 
figned to leave Judea, and go amongfl the 
Gentiles, to preach amongft their brethren 
who were dispersed in the neighbouring 
nations : but they were aware, that this 
conjefture did not answer to the latter 
part of our Lord's declaration : for though 
he fhould go amongft the Gentiles, it would 
not be impoffible for them to follow him : 
they, therefore, in the utmoft confufion, 
reasoned amongft themselves, and inquired. 
Whither will he go, that we fhall not find 
him? Will he go unto the dispersed amongjt 
the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles ? What 
manner of saying is this that he said. Ye 
fiall seek me, and fhall not find me : and 
where I am, thither ye cajinot come. 

While our exalted Redeemer was teach- 
ing in the temple, according to the annual 
cuftom, the water of the pool of Siloam 
was brought in. Part of this was drank in 
the temple with loud acclamations, in 
commemoration of the great deliverance 
wrought for their fathers, who were mirac- 
uloufly relieved and preserved by a ftream 
which flowed from a hard dry rock, and 
revived the nation which was fainting 
with thirft : the other part was poured 
out as a drink-offering, accompanied with 
their prayers to the Almighty, for the 
former and latter rain to fall in their 
season ; which ceremony was concluded 
by the whole congregation, fmging this 
paffage out of the prophet Isaiah, With 
joy fiall ye draw water out of the wells of 
salvation, chap, xii, 3. 

It was the conftant mode of inftruftion 
which our great Redeemer pursued, to ac- 
commodate his discourses to the particular 
occafion and circumftances of his hearers. 



1 16 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



and to engage and fix their attention, by 
alluding to occurrences and objefts aftually 
in view; and, accordingly, he took this op- 
portunity of representing the rich bleflings 
which fmful creatures would receive from 
h;m, under the metaphor of water : and, 
in aliufion to the ceremony which they had 
seen performed, In the lafi day, that great 
day of the feajl, Jesus Jiood and cried, say- 
ing, If any man tliirjt, let him come unto 
me, and drink. He that believeth on me, 
as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly 
Jhall flow rivers of living zoater. 

While our Lord was thus speaking to 
the people, with a beautiful fimpHcity, and 
heart affeding ftrength and energy, such as 
never were joined before, the officers sent 
from the council to apprehend him came 
into the temple : before they proceeded to 
the execution of their commifTion, they 
(laid a few moments to hear his discourse ; 
to this they were excited by their curiofity, 
but his divine eloquence overcame their 
resentment, removed their prejudices, and 
melted away their rage : the harmony of 
his pronunciation, the beautiful fimplicity 
and plainness, and the amazing ftrength, 
energy, and clearness of his reasoning, dis- 
played the beauties of divine truth, and 
caused them tofhine on the underftanding 
with refiftless brightness ; even his enemies, 
who were sent from the council to appre- 
hend him, were aftonifhed and overcome: 
the greatness of the subjefl: affefted their 
minds, and it's importance filled their un- 
derftandings : the warmth and tenderness 
with which he delivered his discourses, 
fixed their attention, and penetrated their 
hearts ; they felt new and uncommon 
emotions, and overwhelmed with the great- 
ness of their admiration, were fixed in 
filent aftonifhment ; they were absolutely 
overcome, and could not think of execu- 
ting the commiflion which brought them 
to the temple ; they blamed themselves for 
having undertaken it, and returned to the 
rulers of Israel without performing it. 

If we confider the remorseless dispofition 
of the persons who are usually sent about 
such bufiness, and the nature of the subjeft 
which employed our great Redeemer's 
eloquence, we fhall have reason to join the 
ofiicers in their admiration, and to acknow- 
ledge that our great Redeemer's elocution 
was superior to all praise : such surely that 



discourse muft be, which addreffed tot 
others, and on a divine subjeft, could dis- 
arm the resolution of the mofh determined 
enemy, and penetrate the receffes of the 
moft unfeelincT heart. 

Nor were the ofiicers the only persons 
who were aflfefted with this divine dis- 
course : for the surrounding multitude were 
senfible of very remarkable irapreffions, 
and expreffed their wonder in various con- 
jeftures ; matiy of them declared he muft 
certainly be one of the old prophets, and 
others, that he could be no less than the 
Meffiah himself ; others, led away with the 
common miftake, that he was born at Na- 
zareth, afked, with snearing disdain, if the 
Mefliah was come out of Galilee, when 
the Scripture had absolutely declared, that 
he was to be born in Bethlehem, that na- 
tive town of his father David. Thus we 
are informed, Many oj the people, therefore^ 
whm they heard this saying, said. Of a 
truth, this is the prophet : others said., I his 
is the Chrijt : but some said. Shall Chrijt 
come out of Galilee ? Hath not the Scripture 
said. That Chrift cometh of the seed of Da- 
vid, and out of the town of Bethlehem^ 
where David was ? This dispute was 
carried to such an height, that some of 
them, knowing that the ofiicers were sent 
to apprehend our Redeemer, threatened to 
lay hands on him : but Divine Providence 
would not permit them to execute their 
cruel defign ; for though some of them would 
have taken him, yet no man laid hands on. 
him. 

The officers now returned to the coun- 
cil, and were afl^ed, with warmth. Why 
they had not brought Jesus of Nazareth, 
whom they were sent to apprehend ? They 
endeavoured to excuse themselves, by re- 
lating the manner in which they were over- 
come, and disarmed by his eloquence: No 
man, said they, spake like this man. But if 
they thought to soften the resentment of the 
council, by declaring what a wonderful man 
Jesus Christ was, and what an heart- 
affecting ftrain of divine eloquence flowed 
from his lips, they were very much mis- 
taken : the prejudices of the rulers of Israel 
were too deep-rooted, and theirrancour and 
malice too inveterate to be so tafily over- 
come : their pride scorned to submit to the 
di61ates of the unpopular and unlearned, 
and, with indignation and scorn, they re- 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



117 



plied, Are ye also deceived P Have any of the 
rulers, or of the Pharisees be lieved on him ? 
But this people, who knoweth not the law, 
are cursed. They thought it a piece of 
the moft unparalleled impudence, that 
the common people (hcuid presume to 
acknowledge Jesus to be the MefTiah, ' 
when the great doftors of the law, the j 
chief priefts and Pharisees, and learned 
men of the nation, publicly opposed his 
preaching, defamed his charader, and 
determined to deftrcy him. 

But their pride and envy soon received a 
seve e reprimand from Nicodemus, who 
had formerly attended on Jesus by night; 
and was convinced that he was the Mes- 
fiah, though he did not openly confess 
him, for fear of the Jews. On this occa- 
fion he rebuked the pride and self-sufficien- 
cy of the enemies of Jesus, by inquiring, 
Does our law condemn any man before he is 
heard? They had juft now condemned 
their officers for being ignorant of the law, 
when it appeared that themselves were 
more ignorant, by pretending to condemn 
a person before they had proved him 
guilty :" they were aftmg direftly contrary 
to the fundamental principles of the law 
of equity, at the same time, that they 
boafted their superior knowledge of, and 
closeft attachment to, it's precepts. 

This fliarp reproof of Nicodemus, so 
highly exasperated the whole council, that, 
with an air of indignation and contempt, 
they afked him, if he also was one of those 
mean persons who had joined together to 
support the pretenfions of a Galilean, 
though the Scriptures had plainly declared, 
that Bethlehtm was the place of the Mes- 
fiah's nativity : to which they added, that, 
if he refused to liften to them, he ftiould 
search the Scriptures, and he would soon 
be convinced, that the great prophet, men- 
tioned by Moses, was not to be born in 
Galilee: Art thou also of Galilee? said 
they. Search and look : for out of Galilee 
ariseth no prophet. 

The council soon broke up after making 
this answer to Nicodemus, and our Lord, 
well knowing their malicious intentions, 
retired to the Mount of Olives, where 
he spent the night with his disciples ; but 
early the next morning he returned to the 
temple and taught the people. 
No. 5. 



The Scribes and Pharisees pursued him 
with unabating resentment, and were de- 
termined either to render him odious to 
the people, or an offender in the eye of 
the Roman governor. Accordingly, they 
brought before him, a woman who had 
been taken in the a6l of adultery: defiring 
him to declare what punifhment flie ought 
to suffer : This woman, said they to our 
great Redeemer, was taken in adultery, in 
the very aB, Now Moses in the law, com- 
manded us, that such Jhould be Jioned : 
but what sayejl thou ? Had Jesus presumed 
to pardon the adulteress, and inflifted no 
punifliment on her, they would, doubtless, 
have represented him as a person who 
contradifted the law, and favoured adul- 
tery, which would certainly have rendered 
him odious in the eyes of the people. On 
the other hand, had he ordered her to be 
ftoned, it would have afforded an oppor- 
tunity of accufing him to the Roman go- 
vernor, as a person who ftirred up the 
people to rebellion ; the Romans having, 
at that time, taken the power of life and 
death out of the hands of the Jews. But 
Jesus well knew their wicked intentions, 
and therefore made them no answer, but 
Jlooped down, and with his finger wrote on 
the ground, as though he heard them not. 
They, not satisfied, ftill continued preffing 
him to give an answer; when, at laft, 
Jesus, in allufion to the law, which or- 
dered that the hands of the witneffes, by 
whose teftimony a criminal was convifted, 
fliould firft be upon him, said. He that is 
without fin among you, let him firfi cafi a. 
fione at her. Our Lord well knew the 
hearts, and the secret crimes of these fu- 
rious accusers, and he delivered these 
words in such a manner, as convinced 
every person present, that he was ac- 
quainted with their secret lewdness and 
debauchery. This sudden rebuke had 
such an effeft on them, that they could 
not reply, but immediately departed, no 
doubt, fearing if they had ftaid, Jesus 
would have exposed their moft secret 
transaftions, and abominable crimes : they, 
therefore, durft not proceed in their accu- 
sation, but, being conviEled by their own 
consciences, went out one by one, beginning 
at the eldefi, even unto the laji : and Jesus 
was left alone, and the woman, who had 
been fianding in the midfi, Jesus had 



ii8 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



been, all the while the Jews were retiring, 
{looping down and writing on the ground, 
as though he did not perceive what they 
were about ; but n' w rifing up, and look- 
ing upon the woman, who ftood alone, he 
afl<.ed her, if llie had been condemned ? 
To which file answered in the negative. 



Our Lord saw her covered with fliame, 
and knowing her repentance was fmcere, 
he looked upon her with an eye of pity 
and forgiveness, and dismiffed her with 
these gracious words. Neither do I condemn 
thee ; go, and fin no mvre» 



CHAPTER 



XXL 



Christ declareth himself to be the Light of the World, andjufifieth his DoSiriTie agairift 
the Pharisees : He proiniseth Freedom, through Knowledge of the Iruth, to those Jews 
■who believed on him : Confuteth their vain boaf oj being Abraham's Seed, and the 
Children of God: Answer eth their reviling, by fiezving his Authority and Dignity ; 
and, by Miracle, rescueth himself from their Attempts to f one him : He reforeth to 
Sight, a Man that was born blind, who relateth to his Neighbours the means of his 
Cure ; and he is brought to the Pharisees, who examine fridly into the FaB, and are 
offended zoith his Acknowledgment of the divine Mifjion oj the Author ; they excommu- 
nicate him: he is received Jesus, and confefjdh him Christ taxeththe Pharisees 
with spiritual Blindness : He declareth himself to be the Door, and the good Shepherd : 
Divers Opinions concerning him. Christ reproveth the fiery Zeal oj fames and 
f hn againjl the Samaritans, who would not receive him; and proposeth terms to 
three Persons, who offer to follow him : He sendeth out the seventy Disciples, a second 
Time, to work Miracles and to preach : He pronounceth a. Woe againfi Chorazin, 
Bethsaida, and Capernaum: The seventy return with Joy; Christ fhewetk them 
wherein to rejoice : He thankeih his Father for having revealed his Gospel to the Simple 
only : He teacheth a Lawyr how to attain eternal Life ; and, by the Parable of the 

- good Samaritan, fheweth whom we are to confder as our Neighbour, 



JESUS having, by an amazing display 
of his wisdom and penetration, defeat- 
ed the malice, and mortified the pride of 
the Scribes and Pharisees, and they being 
.sent away afhamed, under a full conviftion 
that he knew the secrets of their hearts and 
lives ; our Lord having, by his superior 
wisdom, made use of their own consciences 
to defeat their cruel and villanous defigns, 
he turned to the people, and, with the 
utmoft; propriety declared, that he was 
the light of the world; that light which 
could penetrate through the darkness of 
the human heart, and discover and brins 
to light the dark defigns and wicked devices 
of the sons o^f men ; that light which could 
pierce through the outfide fhew of sanftity 
and hoiine>s, and discover the secret 
abominations of the mofl proud and ac- 
( omplifhed hypocrite; and that light which 
could discover the paths of darkness and 
error, and lead those who are enabled to 



follow our Redeemer, in the road to 
eternal bleffedness and rcfl. Hence, our 
bleffed Saviour declared, I am the light of 
the world : he that JoUoweth me, fhall not 
walk in darkness, but Jhall have the light 
of life. John viii. j 2. 

Some of the enemies of our Lord were 
amongfl the people who heard this decla- 
ration, and they were so highly provoked, 
that they told him, he mufl be a deceiver, 
because he boafled of himself : Thou hearejt 
record oj thyself, said they ; thy record is 
not true. To this, the great Saviour of 
finners replied, that he did not call himself 
the light of the world, from a principle of 
pride and falsehood, but it was a title that 
juftly belonged to him, which they would 
acknowledge, had they conceived true 
ideas of the Meffiah's kingdom : but their 
carnal views had blinded their eyes, and 
corrupted and depraved their judgments, 
so that they did not know from what au- 



AND LIVES OF KIS APOSTLES 



119 



j thority he had received his commiffion, 
nor whether he fhould return when he had 
executed it: 1 hough I bear record of myself , 
} said he, yet my record is true : for I know 
I -whence I came, and whither I go : but ye 
cannot tell whence I came, and whither I 
' go. Ye judge after the flefli ; I judge no 
1 man. Nor, added he, is there any truth 
! or juftice in your remark, that I bear wit- 
ness of myself, and have none to witness 
for me : for, let it be known, that my Fa- 
ther is with me ; and joins me in whatso- 
ever I say or do : And yet if I judge, 
said he, my judgment is true : for I am 
i not atone, bat I and the Father that sent 
me. It is also written in your lazv, that 
\ the tejiimony of two men is true. I am 
I . one that bear witness of myself and the 
Father that sent me, beareth witness of 
I me. 

The Jews then inquired, Where is thy 
Father, the other witness to whom thou ap- 
pealed ? To which our Lord replied, that 
their conduft and foolilh inquiries, suffi- 
ciently demonftrated, that they were ftran- 
gers, both to him and to his Father; for, 
h id they known who he was, they would 
! certainly have been at no loss to know 
who it was that he called his Father : had 
, they known that he was the Meffiah, they 
muft have underftood that his Father was 
jj the Great Jehovah, that all-wise and all- 
! powerful Being, who was the great Maker, 
{ the all-wise and all-potent Preserver, the 
i supreme Governor, and King of the uni- 
. verse : Ye neither know me nor my father, 
' said our great Redeemer ; if ye had known 
I me, ye fhould have known my Father also. 

This discourse, the evangelift informs us, 
! was held in the treasury, where the chefts 
were placed for receiving the offerings of 
all who came up to worfiiip in the temple, 
and muft, therefore, have been a place of 
great resort, being frequented by all sorts 
J of people: but, notwithftanding the pub- 
' lie manner in which our Lord advanced 
j his claim to the charaQ;er of the Meffiah, 
j and the pride and rage of the Scribes and 
! Pharisees, no man attempted to seize him ; 

Divine Providence did not permit them to 
I put their cruel defigns into execution, be- 
i cause his hour, or the time of his sufferings 
i; and death, was not yet come, 
j After this discourse was ended, Jesus 
' repeated what he had before told them 



declaring that he fhould fliortly depart 
from them, and that then they fhould seek 
him, and not be able to find him : I go my 
way, said he, and ye fiall seek me, and 
fhall die in your fns. Whither I go, ye 
cannot come. Perhaps, in these words, he 
might allude to the flate of the Jewifh 
nation after his death, and may be sup- 
posed to say, I soon fhall depart from 
amongft you, and such miseries and cala- 
mities will overspread the land, that you 
will be glad of a prophet to direft your 
condu6l, and to pray for you : the Roman 
armies will spread such devaftation and 
horror over the face of your country, that 
you will then earneftly wifh for the coming 
of the Meffiah, in expeftation of being 
delivered, by his power, from your cruel 
enemy : but ye fhall then find your miftake, 
ye fhall die in your fins, and be for ever 
excluded the realms of bleffedness and 
reft. 

But the Jews were very far from under- 
ftanding what he meant by going from 
them, they were so foolifh as to imagine, 
that he defigned to put an end to his life 
with his own hands ; for they thought the 
only retreat where they could not find 
him, muft be the dark and filent chambers 
of the grave : Will he kill himself said they, 
because he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot 
come. To this, the bleffed Jesus replied, 
your base infinuation betrays, at once, the 
wickedness of your hearts, and the corrup- 
tion and depravity of your natures : ye 
are from the earth, and are partakers of 
all the corruption and depravity conse- 
quent on the fall of man ; and from the 
evil paffions which arise in your own 
wicked hearts, you form your conceptions 
of me ; and, thinking me like yourselves, 
conclude, that I can be capable of com- 
mitting so horrid a crime as self-murder : 
but you are miftaken in me ; my extraftion 
and my dispofition are very different from 
yours: 1 am not of this world; I am no 
partaker of the evils consequent on fin; I 
have no propenfity to corrupt and evil 
paflions ; my mind is not tainted with the 
corruption of human nature, the source of 
temptation, and the fountain of all evil; I 
came from above, and, if you believe in 
me, you will find a remedy for those evils 
which flow from the bitter fountain of the 
fall of man, and will be clcaiiicd from 



120 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



that pollution which flows from your earth- 
ly origin ; but, if ye ftill continue in unbe- 
lief, j)-^^ JhalL die in your Jins. 

The Jews, in order to vindicate them- 
selves, inquired what sort of a person he 
was. or who he pretended to be ? To which 
our Lord replied, Even the same that I said 
unto you from the beginning ; meaning the 
light of the world, which he had ftyled him- 
self in the beginning of this discourse : 
adding, / ham many things to say and to 
judge of you: but he that sent me is true ; 
and I speak to the world those things which I 
have heard oj him. wever plain this 
discourse may appear, it was not under- 
ftood by the ftupid Jews ; they did not per- 
ceive, that he spake to them of the Father, 
But Jesus told them, that when they had 
crucified him, they would be convinced by 
the miracles attendinii that awful hour, his 
resurrection from the dead, the descent of 

• • • ) 

the Holy Spirit on his disciples, and the 
dt ftruftion of the Jewifh nation, both who 
he was, and who the Father was that sent 
him : V^'hen ye have lifted up the Son of 
man, said he, then f tall ye know that I am 
ke, and that I do nothing of myself ; but as 
my Father hath taught me, I speak these 
things. And he that sent me is with me : 
the Father hath not left me alone : for J da 
always those things that please him. 

As he spake these words, many of the 
Jews believed him to be the MelTiah ; per- 
haps, by his being lifted up, they did not 
underlland his crucifixion, but his being 
exalted to the throne of David : but Jesus 
told them, if they persevered in the belief 
of his word, they {hould really become his 
disciples, and bemg fully inftrufted in every 
do6lrine of the gospel, they Ihould not only 
be freed from the flavery of fin, but also 
from the ceremonial part of the law of 
Moses : If ye continue in my word, said he, 
then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye 
fiall know the truth, and the truth fiall 
make you free. 

The Jews, on hearing him declare, that 
they (hould be made free, hafi:ily and 
warmly replied, We be Abraham's seed, 
end were never in bondage to any man. 
This alfertion, if taken in a literal sense, 
^v'as absolutely false, the whole nation be- 
ing, at that very time, in bondage to the 
R imans ; nor were their anceftors any 
grangers to bondage and flavery, having 



severely felt the tyrannical yoke of the 
Egyptian, Aflyrian, and Babylonifli kings. 
It mufl; therefore be supposed, that the ex- 
prefTion was meant in a metaphorical sense 
and alluded to spiritual bondage : in this 
sense, it was a freedom in respeft to reli- 
gion which they aflierted, and they meant, 
that they were the descei-dants of illuflri- 
ous anceflors, who, in the worfl: of times, 
had preserved sentiments in religion and 
government worthy the poft< rity of Abra- 
ham ; nor had the hotteft persecution of 
the Aflyrian kings, been able to compel 
them to embrace the religion of the Hea- 
thens ; in respe6l to truth, they were never 
in bondage to any man, and they aflced 
our Redeemer, How say ef thou, ye fliallbc 
made free. 

In answer to this quefl;ion, Jesus replied 
that they who gave themselves up to a vi- 
cious course of life, and to the gratification 
of their sensual appetites, were the worft of 
flaves, and it was highly neceflary for them 
to confider whether that charafter did not 
belong to themselves: Verily, verily, I say 
unto you, said he, whosoever committeth fin, 
is the servant of fin. And, as a flave can- 
not be afliared of the continuance of his 
mafters favour, nor of abiding in his house 
continually, so our great Redeemer ob- 
served, that his Father might juflily, for 
their fins, deprive them of the external 
privileges which they had so grossly 
abused : as their fins had rendered them 
bond-flaves to Divine Jufl:ice, they might 
expeft to fall under the severefl; marks of 
his displeasure, except they prevented the 
dreadful evils consequent on their wicked- 
ness, by believing on his Son, and receiv- 
ing him, who alone was able to make them 
free indeed, and place them in the heaven- 
ly Jerusalem. Our Lord then proceeded 
to mform them, that though, in a natural 
sense, they were the seed of Abraham ; yet, 
in a moral sense, they were the offspring 
of Satan, which was fully manifefl;ed by 
their unjuft and cruel defign to deftrOy their 
great Deliverer : / know, said he, that ye 
are Abrahams seed ; but ye seek to kill me, \ 
because my word hath no place in you. I 
speak that which I have seen with my Fa- , 
ther : and ye do that which you have seen ) 
with your father. To this the Jews haft.ily 
:ind angrily, replied, Abraham is our Fa- 
ther : but our Redeemer informed them 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



121 



that it appeared from their conduft, that 
they were of another original : If, said he, 
ye were Abrahams children, ye would do 
the works oj Abraham. But now ye seek to 
kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, 
which I have heard of God : this did not 
Abraham. 

Our Lord having declared to the Jews, 
that it was manifeit from their deeds, and 
their wicked inclinations, whose children 
they were ; they, willing to juftify them- 
selves, replied with some warmth : We be 
not born of fornication : we have one Father, 
even God. By these expreffions, the Jews 
did not mean a natural, but a spiritual 
lineage, and by their not being born of 
fornication, their being free from idolatry, 
which, in the language of the prophets, is 
represented as fornication and adultery : 
th'-y were not idolaters themselves, nor 
born of idolatrous parents, and therefore, 
they ftyled themselves the children of God. 
But Jesus gave them to underftand, that if 
they were the children of God, they would 
manifeft their relation by their love to his 
Son ; If God zo ere your Fath^'r, said he. ye 
zoould love me : for I proceeded forth and 
came from God; neither came I of myself, 
but he sent me : but ye, continued our 
great Redeemer, are of your father the 
Devil ; ye appear in his likeness, and con- 
tinue to gratify the evil inclinations, and 
diabolical paflions which ye have learnt of 
him, and derived from him ; falsehood, 
pride, and cruelty, are the paflions which 
he conftantly inspires, and these are 
abundantly manifefled in your temper and 
conduft ; he delights in murder and blood, 
and you are plotting againll the life of the 
innocent ; falsehood and lies are natural 
to him, and he never speaketh the truth 
but to put off some lie which he hath joined 
to it: Ye are, said the exalted Saviour of 
finners, of your j other the Devil, and the 
lujis of your father ye will do. He was a 
murderer from the beginning, and abode not 
in the truth, because there is no truth m 
him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of 
his own ; for he is a liar, and the father of 
it. And because I tell you the truth, ye 
believe me not. 

Our Lord then publicly challenged all 
his enemies, to prove him guilty of any 
falsehood-: Which of you, said he, conviUeth 
me of fin? Are any of you able to fhew 
No. 6. 



that I have done any thing which renders 
me unworthy of belief? Can you prove 
that I have taught false doftrine ? Have I 
reproved you unjuftly for your aflions ? 
Have I charged you with crimes you were 
not guilty of? And can any of you prove 
me guilty of any finful aftion, or prove 
any part of my condu6l to be inconhftent 
with the charafter I have aflumed ? If none 
of you can do this, but muft confess that 
my doftrine and life are such as might be 
expcfted from a melfenger sent from God : 
Why do ye not believe 7ne? But the reason 
is plain, you do not belong to God, ye 
have no intereft in his favour, nor are 
partakers of his grace : He that is of Gcd, 
heareth God's words ; ye therefore hear them 
not, because ye are not of God, 

This declaration exasperated and enra- 
ged the Jews to the higheil pitch, and, with 
a mixture of disdain and contempt, they re- 
plied, Say we not well, that thou art a Sa- 
maritaji, and haft a devil? His calling the 
descendants of Abraham the children of the 
Devil, they thought was a sufficient proof, 
that either he muft be a profligate wretch, 
which they meant by calling him a Sama- 
ritan, or else muft be inftigated by some 
evil spirit. But Jesus replied, that he was 
not under the dominion of any evil spirit, 
but spoke the words of eternal truth ; he 
was not in league with hell, nor in alliance 
with the prince of darkness : on the con- 
trary, he honoured his Father, by speaking 
the words of truth, which he sent him to 
deliver: I have not d devil, said he; but I 
honour my Father, and ye do difionour me. 
And I seek not mine own glory : there is one 
that seeketh and judgeth. Our great Re- 
deemer, by these words, gave them to un- 
derftand, that he did not court their ap- 
plause, or fear their reproaches : for there 
was one concerned, that was able to vin- 
dicate his honour, and severely punifli all 
who fliould dare to attack him with unjuft 
and malignant reproaches. 

Our great Redeemer, having vindicated 
his chara6ler, proceeded to make a decla- 
ration, which very much surprised the Jews 
with whom he was converling. Verily, verily, 
I say unto you, said he, if a man keep my 
zvords, he fiail never see death. The Jews, 
thinking these words had reference to a 
natural death, cried out with an air of 
triumph, Nozo xoe knozo that then haft a. 



t2Z 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



devil Abraham is dead, and the prophets ; 
and tlwu sayejt., If a man keep my saying, 
he Jhall never tajie of death. Art thou 
gr ater than our father Abraham, which is 
dead And the prophets are dead ; whom 
makefi thou thyself?' John viii. 52. 53. 
To this our great Redeemer replied, that 
as they had lately objefted to the teftimony 
which he bare of himself, he fhould not 
reft theeause on that foundation, but refer 
it to his father, whom they acknowledged 
to be the supreme Lord of heaven and 
earth : but, though they pretended to wor- 
fhip the true God, they were totally igno- 
rant of him ; they neither formed juft con- 
ceptions of h'xm, nor worshipped him in 
the manner they ought ; they were not the 
persons by whom he required to be wor- 
fhipped, and whom he always accepted : 
on the contrary, Jesus declared, that he 
formed juft ideas of God, and obeyed his 
precepts ; if he was to say he did not know 
him, he would be a liar, like the Jews with 
whom he was converling. And as to the 
patriarch Abraham of whom they boafted 
so much, he earneftly defired to see the 
day of the Meffmh, and had so much of 
it revealed to him, as filled his heart with 
gladness : If I honour myself, said our great 
Redeemer, my honour is nothing : it is my 
Father that honour eth me ; oj whom ye say, 
he is your God, yet ye have not knoion him, 
but I know him; and if I Jhould say, I 
know him not, IJIiould be a kar like unto 
you : but I know him, and keep his saying. 
You father Abraham rejoiced, or defired, 
to see my day ; and he saw it, and was 
glad. 

The Jews undeftanding these words in 
a natural sense, concluded that he affirmed, 
that he was before Abraham, and knowing 
that he was under fifty years old, they con- 
fidered this declaration as absolutely im- 
polfible and highly ridiculous. They had 
no conception of his divine nature, though 
he had so often told them he was the Son 
of God, and, of consequence, exifted with 
the Father before the commencement of 
time. This gross ftupidity and p^prverse- 
ness, induced our great Redeemer to affert 
his dignity in the plaineft terms ; Verily, 
verily, I say unto you, before Abraham 
was, I am. This declaration so enraged 
the Jews, that they rulhed upon him with 
the utmoft violence and fury ; and^ as no- 



thing less than his immediate death would 
satisfy them, they took up ftones to ftone 
' him : but Jesus, either rendering himself 
, invifible, or filling the minds of his ene- 
mies with confufion and absence of 
thought, paffed immediately and imper- 
ceptibly through the crowd, and departed 
out of the temple. 

While Jesus remained in Jerusalem, he 
saw in one of the ftreets of the city, a man 
who had been blind from his birth: the 
fight of so diftreffed an obje8;, soon eic- 
cited the compaffion of the kind and be- 
nevolent Saviour of finners ; the various 
affronts and indignities which he had so 
lately received from the Jews, could not 
prevrnt him from the exertion of his om- 
nipotence in favour of such objt 8:s as these 
though they belonged to that cruel, mali- 
cious, and unbelieving nation: he was not 
to be provoked by their crimes, so far as 
to witn-hold his bleffings from them. Ac- 
cordingly, he beheld this poor blind man^ 
not with a fhort and careless view, but with 
a ftcady and fixed attention ; he caft on 
him the eyes of h s divine compsffion, 
and determided to afford him unexpe6led 
relief. 

The disciples, remarking tl eir Lord's at- 
tention to this diftrcfftd, helpless person, 
and doubtless, imagining that as he had 
engaged the pity of the only person who 
' was able to help him, he would soon, by 
divine power and goodness, be reftored to 
fiight, afked their Mafter, what was the 
cause of his blindness : and they were the 
more solicitous to be satisfied in this mat- 
! ter, as the disorder had commenced before 
his birth: they had learned from the law, 
that fin was the cause of affliftion and bo* 
dily diftemper, and that the Lord vifits 
the iniquities of the fathers upon their 
children; and therefore, they enquired of 
their Mafter, who did fn, this man, or his 
parents, that he was born blind ? To this 
queftion, our Lord replied, that this dis- 
order was not the immediate consequence 
)f the man s own fin, nor that of his pa- 
rents, but that he was born blind, that 
the works of God fiould be made manifefi 
m him. 

By this reply, our blefTed Saviour has 
taught us, that a curious inquiry into the 
cause of those affli6lions and d;ftreftes of 
particular persons, which seem very extra- 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



123 



ordinary, and are peculiarly afFe6ling, and 
unaccountably deploroble, is impertinent 
and vain ; and our censure of such persons 
as the greateft of finners, and bringing 
down remarkable vengeance from heaven 
on their wickedness, is cruel and unjuft ; 
the defigns of the great Governor of the 
universe are not open to our view ; he is 
perfectly and immutably wise ; we are full 
of blindness and folly; he knows how to an- 
swer the ends of his own government, and 
accomplilh the defign of his grace by the 
afRiftions and distrelTes, which he some- 
times permits to fall upon his own people, 
while the narrowness of our hearts, and 
our foolifh pride and vanity, are ptone to 
ascribe those affli6lions to a man's own per- 
sonal vices, which are for the glory of 
God, and intended to work out the supe- 
rior good of the suffering person, or some 
way or other to promote the real advan- 
tage of mandind. 

Oir blelTed Saviour having declared 
the cause of this man's blindness,- namely, 
that the works of God Jhould be made ma- 
nifejl in him, further declared, / mujl 
work the work of him that sent me, while it 
is day ; the night cometh, when no man 
can work : declaring to his disciples, and 
all the world, his unwearied labour, and 
ceaseless attention and care in the work 
of his Almighty Father ; in this he laboured 
incelfantly, both day and night, during the 
time of his sojourning in the flelh ; to this 
only he dire6led his thoughts, with unwea- 
ried ardour, and unremitting diligence ; this 
he efteemed even as his meat and drink, and 
suffered the negleft of his ordinary food, 
that he might finifh the great work which 
he came into the world to accomplifh, and 
bring about the salvation of loft perifh- 
ing finners : to accomplifh this he left that 
glory which he had with his Father in 
the higheft heavens, came down into a 
world of labour and sorrow, and went 
about doing good. 

As it was now the Sabbath-day, and our 
Lord was about to perform an aft of mercy 
and benevolence which required some little 
labour, it appears, that the above decla- 
ration had some references to this, and 
seems to intimate that as his time for such 
acRis of mercy was now so very fhort, it was 
not proper to defer it till the day of reft 
Was over. 



But before onr Saviour proceeded to 
the miracle of reftoring fight to the man 
who was born blind, he took occafion to 
speak of himself, as a person appointed to 
illuminate the minds of men, which lay in- 
volved in darkness, more deplorable than 
that which so many years had beclouded 
the poor objeft before him : As Lung as I 
am in the world, said he, lam the light of 
the world. 

Hence it may be observed, that the mi- 
racles wrought by our great Redeemer, 
were not only plain proofs of his mifTion, 
and full evidences of his being the MefTiah, 
but had a reference to the spiritual nature 
of his kingdom, and were emblems of the 
various parts of his divine characier and 
victorious deeds. Thus, his miraculoufly 
feeding the multitudes with common bread, 
was a plain indication, that he came into 
the world to feed the believers in his name 
with the bread of life, that all-nourifliing 
food for the soul. His reftorino^ ftght to 
the blind, was a lively emblem of the ten- 
dency of his doftrine, and efficacy of his 
power, to dispel the darkness of the soul, 
and illuminate the blinded underftanding 
of men. His healing their bodies, repre- 
sented his power to heal the soul, and was 
an evidence of his authority to forgive fins, 
as all bodily disorders are the consequences 
of fin ; and a removal of the puniihment, 
ftrongly implied a power equal to the re- 
moval of the guilt. His cafting out devils, 
was an earneft of his final viftory over the 
prince of darkness, and his future triumph 
over all the powers of hell. His raifing 
particular persons from the dead, was the 
beginning of his triumph over death, and 
a dernonftration of his ability to accomplifh 
a general resurre6lion. And finally, his 
curing all, promiscuoufly, Vv'ho applied to 
him, ihewed that he was the friend of fin- 
ners, and that none who came to him would 
be rejefted, let their fins be ever so nume- 
rous, or their case ever so deplorable. 
Such are the spiritual truths which maybe 
colle6ied from the miracles of the Son of 
God ; and accordingly, we find, that this 
exalted person himself, at, or soon after 
the performing his miracles, while the 
great events were frefli on the memory, 
often turned his discourse to the spiritual 
things they represer.ied. 



124 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



Our blefied Saviour having;: declared, 
that he was the li_^ht or the world, he spit 
on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, 
and anointed the eyes of the blind man with 
the clay, and said unto him. Go wajh in the 
pool of Siloam ( wich is by interpretation, 
Sent J. He vjsnt his way therefore,, and 
xoafh'd, and came seeing. 

There is no doubt but our blcfTed Savi- 
our could have performed this miracle 
without any external means ; indeed the 
means he used on this occafion, were so 
far from being likely to effeft the cure, 
that they seemed calculated to produce a 
contrary eifeft. We muft therefore con- 
clude, that these means where dehgned to 
dire6l our attention to higher mylleries, 
and to Ihew us that it can be no other 
power than that which firft created man 
out of clay, that enlightens the dark mind 
of the dead fmner, and gives spirital light 
to those eyes which are closed by the thick 
darkness of guilt. 

Whether the blind man, whose case we 
are now confidering, was acpuainted with 
the name and charafter of our Redeemer, 
the evangelifts have not informer! us: but 
as his miracles had been publiflied in Jeru- 
salem so often, as well as in all the country 
round, it cannot be supposed, that this man, 
who refided at Jerusalem, could be totally 
ignorant of them ; and it seems, by his 
ready obedience to the direftions of the 
Son of God, though the means direfted 
seemed to have no tendancy to promote 
the cure, that he knew who it v/as that 
oave him those direftions : and we find, 
that he was amply rewarded for the readi- 
ness of his obedience, by receiving the 
gift of fight. 

So wonderful an event, could not fail 
of engaging the attention, and exciting the 
surprise of all that beheld it ; and those 
who had often seen the blind man in his 
dark and deplorable condition, it may be 
cxpecled, would be very particular in their 
inquiries into the means of sofingularand 
surprihng an event : it was, doubtless, the 
subieft of creneral conversation : and one 

JO 

would have thought, it might have been 
the cause of general converhon : but the 
obftinacy and perverseness of the Jewifli 
nation was not to be overcome ; their un- 
belief and hardness of heart would not 
give wjy to the cleared evidence. Great 



was the surprise of the neighbours and 
friends of the reftored person : 'Ihey which 
before had seen him, that he zvas blind, said. 
Is not this he that sat and begged? Some 
said, this is he ; others said, it is like him : 
but he said, I am he. 

The poor man's heart was full of grati- 
tude and joy, and therefore, perceiving his 
neighbours to doubt the identity of his per- 
son, he proclaimed himself to be the very 
same whom they had lately seen begging 
in total darkness ; I am he, thus wonder- 
fully bleifed with fight by the mighty power 
of God, said he ; I am the man who was 
blind from my birth, whom ye have all 
seen, and many of you have relieved in 
my deplorable diflress ; I am he who was 
even from my mother's womb, involved in 
pitchy darkness, but now with joy and 
wonder, which I cannot express, behold 
the beautious beams of day. 

On hearing so frank and full a declara- 
tion, they were anxious to know how this 
great event was produced ; and ihey haftily 
inquired. How were thine eyes opened? To 
which the man replied, A man, that is called 
Jesus, made clay, and anointed mine eyes, 
and said unto me. Go to the pool of Siloam, 
and wafh : and I went and wafi d, and I 
received fight. They then afl^.- d him where 
the person was who had performed so 
wonderful, merciful, and beneficial a work ? 
To which the man replied I know not: 
for Jesus had retired while the man went 
to walh in the pool of Siloam ; perhaps 
our Lord chose to retire, to avoid the ap- 
plause of the people, which would natu- 
rally follow so ftupendious a work and 
which, we frequently find in the gospels, 
he was particularly carelul to fhun. 

The persons who were witneffes of this 
wonderfu; event, either out of envy againfl 
Jesus, or being defirous to search the af- 
fair to the bottom, brought the man who 
was the subje6l of this miracle, before the 
council, as proper judges of the matter: 
accordingly, as soon as he was placed be- 
fore the alfembly, the Pharisees began, in 
a brow-beating way, to quefiion him how 
he recovered his fight? However awful 
and terrible such an affembly might be to 
a poor beggar, the man boldly mentioned 
the name of Jesus, nad pofitively declared. 
He put clay upon mine eyes, and I wafaed, 
and do see. The Pharisees, having heard 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



125 



this account of the miracle, malicioufly de- 
clared, that the person who had performed 
it, was a deceiver: for, if he was a pro- 
phet, he would be an observer of the law, 
which he had openly violated, by working 
this work on the Sabbath-day. But some 
in the council, with a spirit of greater can- 
dour and moderation, gave it as their opi- 
nion, that no deceiver could work so great 
and beneficial a work ; for no wicked man 
would have either inclination or power to 
perform it. 

The court, being thus divided in there 
opinion with regard to the character of 
Jesus, they afked the man what he thought 
of the person who had reftored him to 
fight ? To which he boldly and plainly re- 
plied, He is a prophet. But the Jews, ftill 
hoped to invalidate the miracle, and there- 
fore infinuated, that it was not true, that 
this man was really born blind: to come 
to the bottom of this matter, they sent for 
his parents, aud a{ked them, whether he 
was their son, and if he really was born 
blind, and by what means he had received 
his fight ? To which they answered, that 
he was moft certainly their son, and was 
born blind ; but by what means he had re- 
ceived his fight, or what person had con- 
ferred this great blefling upon him, they 
could not tell : but as their son was of age 
to answer for himself, they referred them 
to him : These words spake his parents, he- 
cause they Jeared the Jews : for the jews 
had agreed already^ that if any man fliould 
confess that Jesus was the Chrift, heffiould 
be put out of the Synagogue, 

In the conduft of the parents of this 
poor man, we may behold the great evil 
of the fear of man, and how powerfully 
this flavifh principle afts on the mind ; 
they well knew by what means their son 
had received his fight ; and, like him, they 
ftiould, with gratitude and joy, have con- 
felfed the divine hand which had wrought 
this wonderful work ; and dared to have 
acknowledged this extraordinary person 
before all the world, whatever the conse- 
quences of such conduft might have been. 
Let us hence learn the wickedness of hu- 
man nature, and never presume too much 
on our own ftrength, but implore the affist- 
ance of the Holy Spirit at all times, and 
not love the praise of men more than the 
favour of God. 
No. 6. 



The Pharisees, finding all their attempts 
to disprove or lefll-n this miracle did but 
tend to efl:ablifh the matter of fa6l, and 
make it flime with greater lufture, pro- 
ceeded to their old method of caluminating 
the divine author of it: Ihey called again 
the man that had been born blind, and said 
unto him. Give God the praise : we know 
that this man is a fnner. To which the 
man answered. Whether he he a fnner or 
no, I know not : one thing I know, that 
whereas I was blind, now I see. This 
answer was not sufficient to satisfy the 
proud and envious opposers of the Son of 
God, but they sought to confound the poor 
man, who had thus plainly and boldly af- 
firmed the truth, respefting a matter of 
faft, in which it was impofTible he fhould 
be miflaken, with a multiplicity of ques- 
tions, and would meanly lead a poor fimple 
beggar into all the windings of sophiflry ; 
and with this view afked him, What did he 
to thee? How opened he thine eyes? These 
queflions they had afked before, and re- 
ceived plain and pofitive answers to each : 
but they seem now to repeat them with 
defign that the man, by repeating the 
manner in which he received the cure, 
might be senfible that Jesus had, by ef- 
fefting this miracle, violated the Sabbath, 
and mufl, of consequence, be an impofler. 
Thus the enemies of our Redeemer would 
have persuaded the person who had re- 
ceived the invaluable bleffing of fight, to 
join with them in the judgment they formed 
of the great person who had been his ge- 
nerous benefaftor : but their obftinacy and 
perverseness appeared so plain to him, that 
he boldly answered, / have told you alrea- 
dy, and ye did not hear : wherefore would 
ye hear it again ? Will ye also be his dis^ 
ciples ? 

This answer was received by the coun- 
cil with indignation, scorn, and contempt ; 

for they reviled him, and said, thou art his 
disciple, but we are Moses s disciples. We 
know that God spake unto Moses : as for 
this fellow, we know not whence he is. 
The poor beggar was surprised, that so ex- 
traordinary a person, and one who pos- 
seffed such wonderful powers, and exerted 
them for the good of mankind fhould be 
unknown to the rulers of Israel, Why herein 
is a marvellous thing, said he, that ye know 
not zvhence he is, and yet he hath opened 
H h 



126 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



Tfiine eyes : we know that God heareth not 
Jnners ; but if a mm be a worjhtpper of 
God, and dodk his will, him he heareth. 
Since the world began, it was not heard, 
that any man opened the eyes oj one that was 
horn blind. JJ this man were not oJ God, 
he could do nothing. 

Such was the plain and powerful reason- 
ing of this poor man ; his inference was 
just and natural, and founded on a plain 
matter of fa6l, and principles which could 
not be denied : they all knew, nor durft 
they deny, that God heareth not sinners : 
they all knew, that God had heard Jesus ; 
the niiracle which he had jufl now wrought, 
and which could not be denied, plainly 
proved this ; for it was a miracle which 
never had b^eu performed by any man 
fince the beginning of the world ; it was 
far above the reach of the powers of na- 
ture, or the attainnri^nts of human art ; 
and, therefore, it's origin mull be truly 
divine. It therefore undeniably followed, 
that Jesus was not a finner, but sent from 
God, otherwise he could do nothing, 

Th? Pharisees were not ignorant, that 
this argument was conclufive ; they felt it's 
whole force, and well knew that it could 
not be refifled : accordingly, they did not 
attempt to answer it, but had recourse to 
punilhment, and abufive language : Thou 
xvoji altogether born in fins, and dojt thou 
teach us, said they : thou impudent illite- 
rate mortal, whose underflanding is as 
dark as thy body lately was, doft thou 
presume to judge and determine, and dis- 
sent in opinion from tlie wise and learned ! 
TThw, who wafl ^rn under the h°avieft 
punifhment of fm, dofl thou pretend to in- 
ltru£l the rulers of the people, who are 
eminent for their knowledge of the law ! 
Having thus vented their pride and envy 
in reviling the poor man, the evangelift 
adds, they cafi him out; that is, they paffed 
on him the sentence of excommunication, 
which is the higheil punifhment it was in 
their powe>r to inflift : but, though he was 
cut off from the Jewifh synagogue and so- 
ciety, he was received into a society, whose 
privileges are greater, and from which he 
could never be excluded by any unjuff 
sentence, by any bpdy of men, however 
powerful : he was united to a society whose 
members are never cut off, but will unite in 



happiness, love, joy, and glory, during ^ 
boundless eternity. 

That this poor man was received 
am( ngft the number of the disciples of 
Christ, is manifefl from the conversation 
which soon after paffed between the reflor-* 
ed person and our great Redeemer ; Jesus 
heard that thy had coji him out ; and when 
he had found him, he said unto him, D{fi 
thou believe in the Son of God. 

The man did not know how to answer 
thi'^ queflion, till he knew who was the 
great person which Jesus had mentioned 
to him ; and therefore, he inquired, M ho^ 
is he. Lord', that I might believe on him P 
Our great Redeemer would not keep him 
in suspense, but immediately and explicitly 
replied, Thou haji both seen him, md it is 
he who talketh with thee. The poor man 
answered, with gratitude and joy, Lord, J 
believe; and he worf tipped him. Our Lord 
gracioufly accepted of his adoration, and 
glancing at the pride and perverseness of 
the Pharisees, he said. For judgment I am 
come into this world, that they which see noti 
might see ; and that they which see, mighty 
be made blind. Some of the Pharisees, 
which were with him, heard these words, 
and, perceiving the reference to themselves, 
they afked. Are we blind also ? To which 
our Lord replied, If ye were blind ye Jhould, 
have no fn : but now ye say. We see, there* 

fore your fn remameth. 

Our Lord then, to fhew the disparity 
between himself, and those proud, hypo- 
critical teachers, affumed the charafter of 
a fhepherd, and displayed his love, ten- 
derness, and care for his chosen followers, 
by the fimilitude of the care and watch- 
fulness of a good fhepherd ov» r his flock ; 
while such false pretenders, and hypocri- 
tical teachers as the Pharisees, might fitly 
be compared to a gang cf thieves, whose 
only view is to diflurb and deflroy : The 
thief cometh not, but for to fteal, and to 
kill, and to defroy : I am come that the 

fheep might have life, and that they might 
have it more abundantly. J am the good 

fiepherd : the good fhepherd giveth his Uf& 

for the fheep. 

And further to fhew the absolute neces* 
fity of believing in him, and receiving his 
doftrine, our great Redeemer compared 

' himself to a door : Verily, verily, I say 
unto you, I am the door of the fheep. Alt 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES, 



127 



that ever came brfore me are thieves and 
robbers. H that enter eth not by the door 
into the fheefifM, but climbeth up some 
o^her way^ the same is a thicj and a 
robber. 

ThoujTh these fimilitudes contained a 
very severe reproof, direfted to the false 
teach Ts ' f Israel, they did not underftand 
the meaning of them, and the people were 
much divided in their sentiments concern- 
ing him and his teaching ; some said, He 
hafh a devil, and is mad ; why hear ye him ? 
Others said, I hese are not the words of one 
thit hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes 
of the blind ? 

From the pride, envy, obftinate perverse- 
ness, and implacable resentment of the 
Pharisees, we Ihould learn to contemplate 
the crafty infinuation and subtle endea- 
vours of the enemies of the cross of 
Christ in these latter times: nor need 
we be surprised, if we find the same mali- 
cious infinuations in different fhapes levelled 
againfl: ourselves, if we are enabled to em- 
brace the truths of the gospel, and to 
confess before all men the glory, honour, 
and dignity of him who hath opened our 
eyes, and brought us out of darkness into 
Hs marvellous Light. It is contrary to the 
nature of the world, or worldly-minded 
men, to love our Lord Jesus Christ, or 
to efteem those who profess to know him, 
and bear witness concerning the world, 
that it's works ere evil. Let us not, there- 
fore, be discouraged if we find the world 
to hate us, and load us with unjufl re- 
proaches for our attachment to the cause 
of our dear Redeemer ; but, like the blind 
man, whose case we have been confidering, 
let us openly and boldly profess the truth, 
and declare the power of that God, who 
hath illuminated our dark minds, and led 
us in the paths of everlafting light and 
happiness^ 

The feafl of dedication now drew near, 
and our Lord prepared to go to Jerusalem, 
to be present at the solemnity. This feaft 
was not appointed by Moses, but by that 
noble warrior, and heroic reformer, Juda«. 
Maccabeus, in commemoration of his hav- 
ing cleansed the temple, and reftored it's 
worfhip. after both had been prophaned 
and polluted by that abominable tyrant 
Amiochus Epiphanes, 



But though thisfcaff was of human in* 
flitution, our Lord chose to be present at 
it, although he knew that frelh attempts 
would be made againfl his life : his time 
on earth he knew was fliort, his public 
ministry was drawing to a period, and, 
therefore, he would not omit any oppor- 
tunity of preaching to the lofl fheep of the 
house of Israel, and doing good to the 
children of men ; nor did he now, as he 
had formerly done, travel in private, but 
openly declared his intention of going to 
Jerusalem. 

The road to the capital from Galilee, 
to which our Lord had retired after the 
miracle of reftoring fight to the blind man, 
lay through Samaria. The inhabitants of 
this country, entertained the mofl inveterate 
hatred againfl all who worfliiped in the 
temple at Jerusalem : Jesus was no ftranger 
to this dispofition of the Samaritans, and 
therefore he sent meffengers before him^ 
that they might find reception for him in 
one of the villages: but the Samaritans 
being informed, that the intention of his 
journey was to worfhip at the temple in 
Jerusalem, they suffered their old national 
prejudice to prevail so far, as to induce 
them to refuse him admittance. 

The meffengers who had been sent on 
this bufiness returned, and gave an account 
of the inhospitable treatment they had re- 
ceived ; which so exceedingly offended the 
disciples, that they prevailed on James and 
John to propose to their Mafler the calling 
down fire from heaven to deflroy them, 
pleading the example of the prophet Elijah 
for such precipitate and violent proceed- 
ings : Lord, wilt thou, said they, that we 
command fire to come down from heaven, 
and consume them, even as Ekas did ? 

But the bleffed Jesus, whose meekness 
on all occafions was beyond example, re« 
,'buked them for entertaming so haily and 
unbecoming a resentment : Ye know not, 
said he, what manner of spirit ye are of; 
ye are ignorant of the finfulness of the dis- 
pofition which ye have now expreffed, nor 
do ye confider the difference between the 
dispensation of the law and the gospel : the 
severity of the prophet Elijah was a juft 
punifhment to a wicked and cruel, as well 
as idolatrous king, and a people who had 
consented to his crimes, and had forsaken 
the worfhip of the God of their fathers ; it 



128 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



was a punifhment very proper for the 
times, and what the nature of the offence 
required ; it was confiftent with the cha- 
rafter of the prophet, and not unsuitable 
to th Mosaic dispensation : but the gospel 
breathed a very different spirit ; the defign 
of our Redeemer's coming into the world 
not being to deftroy men's lives, but to 
save them. 

Behold here, ye despisers of the gospel 
dispensation ! Ye advocates for the purity 
and dignity of human nature, and despi- 
sers of the cross of Christ ! Behold here 
an inftance of patience under an unpro- 
voked injury, which cannot be matched 
amongfl dll the boalted heroes of antiquity; 
an inffance of patience which expreffed 
infinite sweetness of disp< fition, worthy to 
be imitated by all the human race, espe- 
cially by those who call themselves the 
disciples of Christ. 

Entertainment and reception being deni- 
ed by the inhospitable inhabitants of this 
Samaritan village, our great Redeemer, 
with his disciples, direfted their way to- 
wards another ; and as they were on the 
way, he was met by a ftranger, and 
accofted with this language. Lord, I will 
follow thee whithersoever thou goeft. The 
bleffed Jesus, to whom the hearts of 
all mankind were open, well knowing that 
it was only the riches and honours of 
the Meffiah's expe6led temporal kingdom, 
which excited this person to make the 
declaration ; he thought proper at firft to 
undeceive him ; Foxes have holes, said he, 
and the birds of the air have nejts ; but the 
Son of man hath not where to lay his head ; 
alluding to the condu6l of the inhospitable 
Samaritans, and foretelling what they muff 
expert to suffer, who espoused the cause 
and joined the train of our great Re- 
deemer. 

Soon after, our bleffed Saviour met with 
one who had formerly been his disciple, 
and commanded him to disengage himself 
from worldly concerns, and join in his 
train ; but this person excused himself, un- 
der pretence of filial piety, and a desire to 
attend on, and adminiiter relief to, his 
aged parents : Lord, said he, sufferme firjl 
to go and bury my Father : but our great 
Redeemer replied. Let the dead bury their 
dead ; but go thou and preach the kingdom 
of God. Let those who are immersed in 



worldly affairs, follow the concern of the 
world ; but let those who have received the 
great truths of the gospel, and made a pro- 
feffion of our Redeemer's name, do every 
thing in their power to spread the glad 
tidings of salvation over the whole earth. 

A third person proposed to follow our 
Lord, but defired liberty to return to his 
house, and take his leave of the family : 
but though our Lord would not by any 
means discourage prudent care in the do- 
meftic affairs of life, yet he gave this person 
to underftand, that the salvation of the sou! 
was the principal concern, and required 
our firft and chief regard; and we fhould 
by no means let the concerns of time and 
sense have such an influence on our minds, 
as to make us lose fight of this great objeft. 
Great is the danger of coldness and de- 
clenfion in our spiritual affairs ; for our 
Lord himself declared, in answer to this 
person's objeftion : No man, having put his 
hand to the plough, and looking backy is fit 
for the kingdom of God. 

As our bleffed Saviour's miniftry was, 
from this time till it's final period, to be 
confined to Judea, and the countries be- 
yond Jordan, It was neceffary that seme 
meffengers fhould be sent to every town 
and village, to prepare his way ; accord- 
ingly, he called his seventy disciples, and 
gave them proper inflru^tions concerning 
their behaviour, and the do6lrmes they 
were to preach. Having laid before them 
the particular duties of their milfion, he 
sent them into different parts of the counf ry 
and ordered them t ) vifit those particular 
cities, towns, or villages, where he intended 
himself to follow them, and preach the 
doftrines of the everlasting gospel to the 
inhabitants. 

The reason which our great Redeemer 
affigned, for sending these seventy disciples 
on this important meffage, was the same 
which he had before advanced for the mis- 
lion of the twelve : The harvefi truly is 
great, but the labourers are few. And be- 
ing never more to preach in Chorazin^ 
Bethsaida, and Capernaum, the cities 
wherein he usually refided, and where he 
had so often delivered his heavenly dis- 
courses, and displayed his miraculous 
power and divine benevolence, in many 
wonderous works ; he was naturally led to 
refle61: on the reception v/hich himself and 



'I; 

I 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



129 



his doclrines had met with, from those 
wicked, impenitent cities. He was sensible 
of the terrible eviii which would flow from 
rejecling the Son of God, and perfifting in 
the oblUn;\cv of unbelief, notwithPtandrng 
the mighty wjrks which they had seen, 
and all the opportunities which they had 
for inilru6tion and improvement; and. 
though he was gneved for their obftinac)' 
and perverseness, he pronounced the fol- 
lowing sentence againft them : IVo unto 
thee, Cfiorazin ! Wo unto thee, Bethsaida ! 
lor, if the mighty works had been done in 
Tyre and Sidon. which have been done in 
you, thy had a great while ago repented, 
Jittmg in sackcloth and ajhes. But it fliall 
he more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon, at the 
day of judgment, than for you. and thou, 
Caperniuvi, which art exalted to heaven, 
fialt be thriiji down to hell. To this our 
exalted Redeemer added, as a confidera- 
tion which ought to adminifter comfort, 
and give encouragement to his disciples : 
He that hearethyoL, hearcth me ; and he 
that despiseth you, despiseth me; and he 
that despiseth me, despiseth him that sent 
me. 

This kind and encouraging declaration 
was particularly calculated to comfort and 
support the disciples he was now sending 
out, under the contempt and ill-usage they 
would meet with in executing the duties of 
their miffion : they could not be ignorant, 
that the preaching of Christ himself had 
often been unsuccessful, and that he had 
been opposed, reviled, and despised ; and, 
therefore, they^ had no reason to conclude, 
that they fhould find a welcome reception, 
and be received, honoured, and efteemed : 
but it would, at the worft of times, afford 
them great consolation to refleft, that the 
Eternal God was on their fide, and, how- 
ever they might be despised and rejefted by 
man, they were sure to be received, honour- 
ed, and efleemed by their Maker. 

The seventy disciples, having received 
then- commifhon and inflruftions, and be- 
ing, by their Mafler, invefled with the 
power of working miracles, they departed 
and preached according to the tenor of 
their corniniflion, m the cities and villages 
of Judea and Perea ; and, after vihting se- 
■ veral places, publifhing the glad-tidings 
of salvation, and working many miracles 
in confirmation of the truth, thcv returned 
No. 6. 



to their Mafter wi^h great joy, raying, 
Lord, even the devils are subject unto us, 
through thy name. 

From these exprefTions, it seems reason- 
able to conclude, that the disciples, when 
they set out on this journey, did not know 
that their power extended so far as to call 
out devils, and they wer% no doubt, plea- 
fingly surprised, to fiiid that the apoftate 
spirits trembled at their Mafler's name, 
To this our great Reedemer repbed, Z*^^- 
hdd Satan, as lightening fall from heaven: 
as much as to say, You need not be afto- 
nifhed at the subjeftion and dismay of the 
apoflate spirits, their prince is fallen, I saw 
him fall as swift as lightening from heaven ; 
I have triumphed over him, I came down 
from heaven, and was manifeft in the flefh, 
to deftroy his works ; and he knows I fhall 
finally conquer him and all his legions, and 
put them down for ever. 

Our Lord then, for the further encou- 
ragement of his disciples, informed them, 
that he would enlarge their power, and 
increase their authority, not only over evil 
spirits, but over whatever, in this w^ rld, 
had power to hurt or annoy them : Behold, 
said he, I give unto you pozver to tread on 
serpents, and scorpions, and over all the 
pozucrs of the enemy ; and nothing fhall by 
any means hurt you. At the same time, 
our Lord was pleased to inform them, that 
these miraculous powers were the leaft 
part of their privilege, and the consequen- 
ces attending them, not so much to be 
rejoiced in, as their title to that eternal re- 
ward, which he would beftow on all his 
faithful followers : Notzoithfanding, said 
he, in this rejoice not, that the spirits are 
subjed unto you ; but rather rejoice, that 
your names are written in the book of life. 

Nor could the bleffed Jesl s reflect on 
the wisdom and goodness of the divine dis- 
pensations, and the particular care and 
tenderness which the Supreme Governor 
of the universe manifefts to the obje6ls of 
his love, however mean and despised they 
may be in the eyes of the world, without 
feeling extraordinary joy ; so that his bene- 
volent heart overflowed with ff reams of 
gratitude and praise : / thank thee, said he, 
O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou 
haft hid these things from the wise and pru- 
dent, and haft revealed them unto babes : even 
so F.L:h:r ; for soit seemed good in thy fght 



130 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



The disciples being ruturned from their 
tour, Jesus left Samaria, and journeying 
into Judea, he was met on the road by a 
certain lawyer, who, in the language of 
the New 'J eftament, is a person whose 
employment is the expounding and ex- 
plaining the law of Moses. This person 
was defirous to know whether the doftrine 
which Jesus advanced, were the same as 
the precepts of the law ; and, with this 
view, he alked our Redeemer what he 
muft do to inherit eternal life. Such was 
the pride of this teacher of Israel, that it 
seems by the sequel, that he afked this im- 
portant queRion to tempt, and not to be 
inllrufted : butj though our Lord well 
knew the secrets of his heart, he did not 
answer him with such a rebuke as he de- 
served, but in such a manner as to turn his 
base delign, and sophiftical evafions againft 
himself : What, said he, is written m the 
lazv ? How readeji thou ? The Scribe an- 
swered. Thou Jfialt love the l^ord thy God, 
with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, 
and with all thy Jlrcngth, and with all thy 
mind ; and thy neighbour as thyself. 

This reply our Lord received with ap- 
probation, and said to the lawyer, Thou 
haji answered right : this do, and thou Jhalt 
live : if thou art able to fulfil these great 
precepts of the law, thou mayeft claim an 
intereft in the divine favour, on the footing 
of the eternal rules of righteousness ; and 
as a right to that happiness which is alTigned 
to the keepers of the law : for on these 
two commandments hang all the law and the 
prophets. 

The lawyer now perceived himself taken 
in his own snare ; his conscience could not 
acquit him of violating these great duties ; 
he was at a loss and confounded, and knew 
not what to reply : but yet, being willing 
to say something to juftify himself, he 
inquired. And who is my neighbour? A 
queliion very natural to be alked, by a 
bigoted Jew, whose narrow, selfifh concep- 
tions led him to despise all who were not 
the children of Abraham. 

To correft the low littleness of such a 
private party spirit, to open and enlarge 
the heart to a more generous and noble 
way of thinking, to ihew them the only 
foundation of true love, and the extenfive 



relation which they and all mankind flood 
in to each other, our Lord delivered the 
following moil beautiful and inftruflive 
parable. 

A certain man went down from Jeru- 
salem to Jericho, and fell amongjl thieves, 
which Jiripped him of his raiment, and 
wounded him, and departed, leaving him 
half dead. And by chance there came down 
a certain priejt that way ; and when he saw 
him, he pafjed by on the other fde. And 
likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, 
came and looked on him, andpajjed by on the 
other fide. But a certain . Samaritan, as 
he journied, came zuhere he was : and zvhen 
he saw him, he had compafion on him, and 
went to him, and bound up his wounds, 
pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his 
own beajl, and brought him to an mn, and 
took care of him. And on the morrow, 
when he departed, he took out two-pence, 
and gave thtm to the hoji, and said unto 
him, take care of him ; and whtasoever thou 
spendtjl Tjiore, when I come again, I will 
repay thee. 

By this well-chosen, and moft elegant 
and aftefling parable, our exalted Saviour 
beautifully inculcated an open and generous 
dispofition and greatness of mind, which 
lays afide all sellifh views, and diligently 
exerts itself in the great work of doing 
good to mankind, readily relieving all ob- 
jefts of diftress, let their national quarrels, 
and religious disputes be what they w 11. 
No persons were more hated by the Sama- 
ritans than the Jews ; for which reason, our 
Lord represents a Samaritan relieving and 
succouring a diftreffed Jew, when a prieft 
and Levite, of his own nation and reli- 
gion, had forsaken him. And this affefJ ng 
parable our Lord laid down as an answer 
to the queftion proposed by the lawyer. 
Who is my neighbour? and then put it to 
his own feelings to determine the matter : 
Which now of these three, thinkejl thou, 
said he, was neighbour unto him that fell 
among the thieves? The case was so plain, 
that the lawyer could not but reply. He 
that fhewed mercy on him. To which our 
Redeemer immediately returned, with a 
look which gave the lawyer to underfland 
that he knew he was filcnced. Go and do 
thou likewise. 



I 




AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



CHAPTER XXIL 



Je5us journeying to Jerusalem to be present at the Jeaft of Dedication; lodges at Bethany, 
and is entertained by Mary and Martha ; When he arrives at Jerusalem, he attendeth 
at the Feajl, and disputes with the Jews in Solomons Porch: The Feajt being over, he 
retires beyond Jordan, and teacheth his Disciples to pray : He cajleth out a Devil : 
He dines and disputes with the Pharisees, whom he reprehenddh for their outward Shew 
of Holiness, and pronounceth vjoes againji them and the Scribes and Lawyers. Christ 
teacheth his Disciples to amid Hypocrisy, and not be fearful in publi filing his Dodrme : 
He refaseth to be Judge in a civil Cause, and warneth the People to beware of Covetous- 
ness, by the Parable of the rich Man, who boa/ied himself in his multiplied Stores : He 
exhorted his Disciples to lay up Treasure in Heaven by giving Alms ; and to be always 
ready againJl their Lord's Coming. 



AFTER our blefled Lord had effec- 
tually filenced the cavilling lawyer, 
he continued his journey towards Jerusa- 
lem, to be present at the feaft of dedication. 
In the evening he retired to Bethany, a 
small village about two miles from Jeru- 
salem. In this village dwelt Martha and 
Mary, two pious fillers, who dwelt toge- 
ther in the same house with their brother 
Lazarus. In this little family, our great 
Redeemer took up his abode, and was 
! joyfully received by the religious young 
I man and his virtuous fillers. Whether 
! any former acquaintance had subfifted be- 
tween this family and our great Redeemer, 
the evangeliils have not informed us : but 
it seems they were not unacquainted with 
his chara6ler, for he was kindly received 
and generoufly entertained. Jesus, as his 
cufi:ora was, wherever he went, took the 
opportunity of dispenfing his divine inftruc- 
tions, and teaching his hospitable friends 
those things which concerned their ever- 
lafling peace. Martha was defirous of 
expreffing her regard to her noble gueft, 
by providing a grand entertainment : but 
I Mary, being of a contemplative dispofi- 
I tion, was taken with his divine discourses, 
and, fitting at the feet of our great Re- 
I deemer, flie liftened to his words with the 
moft earned and ftcady attention : Martha, 
I being greatly fatigued with the burthen of 
the service, was offended at her filler, be- 
cause fhe did not help her, and complained 
' to our Lord of her omifiion : Lord, said 
: file, doji thou not care that my ffier hath 
left me to serve alone ? Bid her, therejore, 
1 that fhe help me. 



But Jesus, by his answer to this dis- 
contented filler, gave her to underftand, 
that it was more pleafing to him when 
persons attended on his inllru6lions, and 
liftened to his words, than all their endea- 
vours to provide sumptuous entertainments 
for himself and his disciples : he was not 
insenfible of any ragard which persons had 
for him, nor unthankful for their kindness, 
in what way soever it was exprefled ; but 
as the good of mankind was his conftant 
endeavour and care, he always approved 
those exprelTions of kindness beft, which 
were moft conducive to that end : nor 
could he efteem himself being fed with 
the food which periftieth, of equal conse- 
quence with his beftowing on others, that 
which endureth to everlafting life : Martha, 
Martha, said he, thou art careful and 
troubled about many things ; but one thing 
is needful : and Mary hath chosen that 
good part, which fiall not be taken from 
her. 

From this little village Jesus departed 
to Jerusalem, and attended at the feaft of 
dedication. Being in the temple, and 
ftanding in Solomon's porch, he was ac- 
cofted by the Jews, who defired him to 
tell them plainly, whether he were the 
Mefliah or not ^ Well knowing, that they 
did not alk this quellion for information, 
but to gain an opportunity of accufing him 
to the Romans as a seditious person, who 
pretended to be the great son of David, 
promised by the prophets, and, by this 
means, defigning to ftir up the people to 
rebellion, and seize on the kingdom ; our 
great Redeemer told them, that they muft 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



form a judgmcnl ofhini from his aftions : 
I told you, ^<x\A he, and ye believed not: 
the works I do in my Fathers name, they 
bear ivitness of me. But ye believe not, 
because ye are not of my Jhcep, as I said 
unto you. It is in vain to dispute, or lay 
down reasons and arguments to persons of 
your temper and spirit ; you are under the 
dominion of your headftrong paflions and 
wicked hearts, and your inveterate preju- 
dices will not be overcome ; you are not 
ot the number of those whom my Father, 
by his powerful grace, will bring unto me, 
and cause to believe in my name ; these 
happy persons are affifted by power from 
on high, they carefully and candidly exa- 
mine the proofs I have given of my miffion, 
and they believe in me, and receive mp, 
with all their hearts : nor will these my 
followers and friends lose their rewards ; 
for I will willingly receive them, and make 
them partakers of eternal life and glory : 
these persons I will support and defend ; I 
look upon them as my own, and however 
induftrious or aifiduous the wicked of this 
world, or the powers of darkness may be 
to deceive and deftroy them, they ftiall 
never effeft their purpose ; for I fland de- 
termined to bring th.°m safe to my heavenly 
kingdom, and all their enemies may rage 
in vain : my Father hath given them to 
me : all power, both in heaven and earth, 
is in his hand, and his omnipotence is en- 
gaged in their defence : none is able to 
cojitend with him, to prevent the accom- 
pliihment of his will, or to hurt the persons 
whom he defends : none is able to contend 
widi me, or wrelt my people from me ; for 
i and the Great Eternal Father of the uni- 
verse are one : My fheep hear my voice, 
and I know them, and they follow me. A 
ftranger they will not follow : for they know 
not the voice of Jlr angers. And I give unto 
them eternal Ifc ; they fiall never perifli, 
neither fiall any man pluck them out of my 
hand. My Father, which gave them me, is 
greater than all ; and no man is able to 
pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and 
my Father are one. 

These words highly provoked the Jews, 
they confidercd them as blasphemous, and 
were so enraged, that they took up ftones 
to Rone the exalted Saviour of finners ; 
they thought ih'-y a6led m conformity to 
the law, which commands, that all blas- 



phemers fhall be ftoned ; but Jesus afked 
them, which of the benevolent miracles he 
had wrought amongft them, deserved such 
treatment ; Many good works, said he, have 
I fhewed you from my Father ;for which of 
these works do ye Jtone me. As if he had 
said, I have fed the hungry in the desert, 
I have reftored ftrength to the lame, I have 
cleansed the lepers, I have healed the sick, 
I have call out devils, I have raised the 
dead ; lor which of these works are ye 
going to ftone me ? Do such miracles as 
these admit of the suppofition, that the 
author of them is an impofler ? Can you 
be so ftupid as to imagine, that the All- 
powerful and All-wise Governor of the 
world, would permit any person to per- 
form such works, with no other intention 
than to deceive mankind, and to propagate 
faHhood and error ? The Jews replied, we 
do not suppose, that thou deserved pu- 
niihment for any good work which thou 
haft performed ; the punifhment which we 
are prepairing, is defigned to chaflise thee 
for thy blasphemous speeches ; for thou, 
though a weak mortal like ourselves, arro- 
gantly affumeft the power and majefty of 
the Moft High, and, by claiming the in- 
communicable attributes of Deity, makell 
thyself God : For a good work, said they, 
we flone thee not ; but for blasphemy, and 
because that thou, being a man, makeji thy- 
self God. Jesus replied, Has not the 
Scripture expressly called those gods, and 
the sons of God, who were commiffioned 
to govern God s people, and who by the 
communication of his Holy Spirit, were 
qualified for tKe important office with 
which they were inverted ; can you, there- 
fore, impute to that person whom the 
Almighty hath sanftified, and sent into 
the world, on the moft important bufmess 
that ever any person was sent into the 
world to execute, no less than the salvation 
of loft fmners; can you, I say, impute 
blasphemy to this person, for taking on 
himself the title of the Son of God? If my 
own declaration be not sufficient to induce 
you to believe, confider the works which 
I have performed, and let them speak for 
me : is it not abundantly evident, that they 
muft be the works of the Moft High, as 
only Omnipotence could perform them? 
Is it not then fully manifeft, that I and 
the Eternal God are so united, that what- 



AND LIVES OF 1 

fever I say or do is approved by him ? h it 
not writtenin your law, said our great Re- 
deemer, I said, Ye are gods. If he called 
them gods, unto whom th zcord of God came, 
and the Scripture cannot be broken ; say ye 
of him zuhom th^ Father hath san^ified, and 
sent into the -world, Thou blasphemeft, be- 
cause I said, I am the Son of God? If I do 
not the works of my Father, believe me not : 
but if 1 do, thoughye believe not me, believe 
the works ; that ye may knozc, and believe, 
j that the Father is inm€, and I in him. 
j This argument, however plain and con- 
i clufive, was far from satisfying the Jews ; 
i their wicked hearts were hardened againfl 
the truth, and their deep-rooted prejudices 
'\ were not to be overcome : so that what 
might have convinced an honeft, impar- 
■ tial inquirer after truth, had no tendency 
but to enrage them the more ; and our 
I Lord well knowing that it would be to no 
I purpose to reason with so obflinate and 
\ envious a race, he, either by rendering 
; himself iavifible, or calling confufion on 
' their minds, departed imperceptibly from 
^ amongft them, and so escaped their evil 
defiyns. 

The feafl of dedication being over, our 
Redeemer departed from Jerusalem, and 
retired into the country beyond Jordan, 
where he was received in a far different 
'j' manner than he had been at Jerusalem^ 
'\ The people in these parts had attended on 
I the preaching of John the Baptift, and, no 
; doubt, remembered the chara6ler he gave 
I of the MelTiah, who was Oiortly to ap- 
i pear ; and finding the prediftions of the 
j Baptift fully answered, a#d fulfilled in 
I Jesus, great numbers were excited to 
* believe. 

How long our exalted Saviour, with his 
train, continued in this country, cannot be 
clearly determined ; but ws have no ac- 
count ol his leaving these parts till he was 
sent for to Bethany, to raise Lazarus from 
j the dead : perhaps, the inhabitants of this 
1 country enjoyed the unspeakable blelTmg 
I of the presence of the Son of God for a 
I confiderable time ; and we are informed bv 
. the evangelifis, that while he continued in 
j this country, he prayed with such fervency, 
i that one of his disciples, who was exceed- 
] ingly affefted both wiih the matter and 
1 manner of his address, begged he would 
, teach them to pray. It is probable this 
I ,No. 6. 



IIS APOSTLES. 133 

disciple was not with Jlsus in the begin- 
ning of his miniftry, when he gave his 
dire6lions to his disciples concerning their 
devotions: our Lord, however, gave them 
the same form of words as he had done 
before, and gave them some direclions res- 
pefting their conducl, and exhorted them to 
conftancy and fervency in their prayers : 
And I say unto you, said he afk, and it fiall 
be given you; seek, and ye fiall find ; knocks 
arid it fiiall be opened unto you. For every 
one that afketh receiveth ; and he that seeketk 
findeth ; and to htm that knocketh it fiall be 
opened. 

And, for their encouragement in the 
great duty of prayer, he referred to their 
own feelings with respeft to their children, 
and called upon them to judge by these, of 
the readiness of their heavenly Father, to 
hear and grant their petitions : If, said he, 
a son fiall afk bread of any of you that is a 
father, will he give him a ftone ? Or if he afk 
a fifii, zcill he give him a serpent ? Or if he 
f iall afk an egg, will he offer him a scorpion ? 
If ye then, being evil, know hozo to give good, 
gifts unto your children, how much more fhalL 
your heavenly Father give the Holy spirit to 
them that afk him ? 

After these things, our great Redeemer 
was applied to by the friends of one who 
was poffeffed with a devil ; he gracioufly 
condescended to grant the requeif, and caft 
out the evil spirit, reftoring the disordered 
person to perfeft tranquillity of mind : but 
some of the envious and unbelieving Jews 
were present, and, as the Pharisees had 
formerly done, ascribed this ftupenduous 
work to the power of the devil. The evan- 
gelift informs us, that he teas cajiing out a 
devil, and it zcas dumb ; and it came to pass, 
zchen the devil zvasgone out, the dumb spake ; 
and the people zcondered. But some of them 
said. He cafieth out devils through Beelzebub ^ 
the chief of the devils. 

However weak and frivolous this argu- 
ment may seem, and however inconfiftent 
and absurd it may appear to impartial 
judges, it had confiderable influence and 
efFetl on the ignorant and illiterate, espe- 
cially on such whose prejudices and interefts 
it favoured. The Pharisees were exaspera- 
ted at our CTreat Redeemers conduct, in 
expoGngand condemning their foolilh tra- 
ditions, and indulged a fixed and habitual 
hatred againft him : these traditions vrere 
K k 



f34 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



confuiered, by the learned men and teachers 
of the age, as the very elfentials of reli- 
gion ; and by his oppohng these, and expo- 
hng them to ridicule and C(;ntempt, they 
concluded, that he mufl be a very wicked 
person. 

They had inspired the common people 
■with the higheft veneration and reverence 
fpr these external ceremonious perform- 
ances, and, therefore, it is no wonder that 
they were ready to join them in their resent- 
ment, and oppose and persecute a person 
who had spoken lightly of things which 
they efleemed so sacred : the great men and 
leaders of the Jews, had also a notion, that 
a false prophet had the power of working 
figns and wonders, and receivecJ this power 
from, and exerting it by, the afliftance of 
wicked spirits ; and, therefore, they were 
very ready to believe that our Saviour was 
in league with hell, and performed his mira- 
cles by the alTiftance of the prince of dark- 
nesSj with defign to seduce the people with 
lying wonders, and turn them from the 
Ivorlhip of the true God. 

And what induced them the more readily 
to embrace this opinion, was the teftimony 
of the devils themselves, who, when they 
were caft out, very frequently and without 
heiitation confeffed that Jesus was the 
Son of God; which the Pharisees supposed 
they would not have done, except it was 
to carry on the deception : the blinded 
rulers of Israel, not perceiving that the 
devils were forced to confess the Meffiah, 
and to submit to superior power. How ab- 
surd and ridiculous soever this argument 
appears to the judicious and impartial, yet 
as it coincided with the prejudice of the 
Jews, it had great influence on their minds, 
and tended to fix them in final unbelief: 
and however we may be surprised that 
such weak reasons fhould have any effeft, 
confidering what multitudes were witnefles 
to the many miracles which the bleffed 
Jesus performed, and confidering the na- 
ture of those miracles was such, as it is not 
easy to suppose the Devil would have any 
hand in performing : yet experience hath 
abundantly convinced us, that such kind of 
arguments, joined w'nh their own prejudices 
and superlbtious opinions, had a great in- 
fluence in fixing tliat obftinate people in 
th^ir infi ielity. 



But though some amongfl the multitude 
of speftators were content to ascribe this 
miracle to the power of the Devil, others 
were not willing so haflily and inconfider- 
ately to form so base a conclufion, but de- 
fired to suspend their opinion till oth^r 
proofs might be produced, or our Re^ 
deemer might have an opportunity to efta- 
blifh his chara6ier by a different kind of evi- 
dence ; and, therefore, they defired hififi 
to prove himself the Meffiah, by giving 
them a fign from heaven. But Jesus know- 
ing their thoughts, and being privy to the 
rancour and wickedness of their hearts, 
refused to grant their requeft ; but told 
them that they were a wicked race of 
mortals, and discovered a very obftinatd 
and perverse dispofition, by seeking afigri 
from heaven, after such a number of mira- 
cles had been performed, as were sufficient 
to convince any impartial and unpreju- 
diced mind. He therefore informed them 
that no figni fhould be given them, but 
that of the prophet Jonas, Tkzs, said he, 
IS an evil generation : they seek a Ji.gn ; and 
there piall no Jign be given it, but thejigfh 
of Jonas the prophet. 

When Jesus had ended his discourse, 
one of the Pharisees present invited him to 
dine with him ; our Lord accepted the in- 
vitation, though probably it was not love 
and good-will which excited the Phairisee* 
to make it; he accompanied the inviterto 
his house, and sat down at the table" with- 
out performing the ceremony of wafhing, 
so carefully observed by the other guefls ; 
an omifTion of this kind could not fail of 
surprifing theMiarisee, as Jesus thereby 
fhewed an open contempt of their tradi- 
tions. Our Lord, who well knew the 
thoughts of this bigotted self-conceited 
Pharisee, said unto him, you Phatisees die 
remarkably careful to keep every thing 
clean which touches your food, left, by 
eating it, your bodies fhould be polluted ; 
but you take no care to cleanse your minds 
from the pollution of wickedness. You 
cannot be ignorant that he who created the 
body, also formed and inspired the soul ; 
and can you imagine that the Almighty, 
who approves of purity of body, because it 
is the work of his hands, and because it 
conduces to the health thereof, will not 
also infift on a greater purity of (he soul, 
which IS doubtless the far noblefl part pos- 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



135 



scfled by mart. Inflead therefore, of that 
SGtupulous care and exaftness in wafhing 
your hands when you fit down to meat, 
ye (hotild be caref ul to cleanse your hearts 
from all pollution, and fervently pray to 
the God of Israel to purify your minds ; 
this will render it impofhble for any ex- 
ternal thing to defile you, and will at all 
times be looked upon with complacency 
and delight by the God of purity. Now, 
said he, do you Pharisees make clean the 
Qutjide of the cup or platter ; hut your in- 
ward part is Jull of ravening and wicked- 
ness, Ye fools, did not he that made that 
which is without, make that which is within 
also ? But rather give alms of such things 
as ye hdve ; and, behold, all things are 
clean Unto you. 

Such was the language of the Son of 
God, but the proud self-conceited Pharisees 
would not hear ; however clear and con- 
vincing, however mild and persuafive, the 
teasoriings of our Redeemer were, the in- 
veterate prejudices and rooted unbelief of 
these men prevented these excellent dis- 
courses from having their proper effeft. 
Our blefTed Saviour therefore treated them 
with more severity, and denounced againfl 
them the moft heavy woes for their hypo- 
crisy, which was manifefl in their scru- 
pulous exaftness in the performance of the 
minutefl: part of the ceremonial observances 
contained in their traditions, while they 
Were mofl scandaloufly careless and negli- 
gent in the weightier matters of the law : 
Wo unto you, Pharisees ! said he, for ye 
tithe mint and rue, and all manner oj herbs, 
and pass over judgment and itt love of God : 
these ought ye to have done, and not to leave 
the other undone. Wo unto you Pharisees^ 
for ye love the uppermoji seats in the syna- 
gogues, and greeting in the markets. Wo 
Unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites ! 
for ye are as graves which appear not, and 
the men that Walk 'over them are not aware 
of them. ^ 

Though this discourse Was principally 
defigned to aff'eft the Scribes and Pharisees, 
a certain lawyer, who sat at the table, think- 
ing that this rebuke aCiefted persons of his 
profeffion, was very much oflended ; but 
our great Redeemer, who regarded not the 
persons nor profeflions of men, plainly told 
him what was his real chara6ier : Wo unto 
you also, ye laioycrs ! said he, for ye lade 



men with burdens grievous to he borne, and 
ye yourselves touch 710k the burdens with one 
of your fingers. 

The bleffed Jesus also blamed the con- 
du6^ of the Scribes and Pharisees for build- 
ing the sepulchres of the prophets, whom 
their fathers had murdered ; because they 
did not ereft these edifices so much out of 
respe6l to the memory of the deceased 
worthies, as to exhibit the utmoft oflenta- 
tion of piety, and make themselves ad- 
mired for their noble sentiments ; while, 
by their conftant line of conduft, they 
gave reason to conclude, that they secretly 
entertained the same hatred to reproof, 
and unconquerable obftinacy and pcrverse- 
ness, which excited their fathers to the moft 
unreasonable and cruel of their aftions : 
Wo untoyou ! said he, for ye build the sepul- 
chres of the prophets, and your fathers killed 
them. Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the 
deeds ofyour jathers; for they indeed killed 
them, and ye build them sepulchres. 
Therefore also said the zvisdom of God, I 
will send them prophets and apostles, and 
some of them they fiiall fay and persecute 
that the blood of all the prophets, wh ich was 
fied from the foundation of the world, may 
be required of this generation : from the 
blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, 
which perified between the alter and the 
temple: verily, 1 say untoyou, it fiallbere^ 
quired of this generation. As our Redeem- 
er well knew that this hardened and unbe- 
lieving generation, would spill the blood 
of the Son of God, and of consequence be 
guilty of the blackcf}, and moll impious 
and horrid martyrdom which could be^ 
committed ; he might juflly represent 
them, as the mofl black, horrid, and hate- 
ful race of murderers, as guilty in them- 
selves, as much to be abhorred, and equal- 
ly deserving peculiar and diltinguifhed 
vengeance, as if they had fhed all the in- 
nocent blood which ever had been spilt in 
the world. 

Our great Redeemer, after pronouncing 
these woes, turned his discourse againfl 
the lawyers, and condemned them for fil- 
ling the minds of the people with wrong 
notions, arifing from forced interpretations 
of the Scriptures; by which means the 
minds of the people were prejudiced againfl 
the gospel, and prevented from recei\ ing 
the truth ; Wo unto you, lawyers / said he, 



136 



LIFE OF JESUS CH'RIST 



for ye have taken away the key of knowledge : 
ye enter not in yourselves, and them that 
were entering in ye hindered. 

However juft and reasonable these dis- 
courses were, the severity of the rebukes 
contained in them was highly provoking 
to those Scribes and Pharisees ; they were 
conscious of being guilty of the crimes laid 
to their charge, but their pride could not 
bear the thoughts of being sunk in the opi- 
nion of the people who heard these re- 
marks ; there minds were agitated with 
confli6ling palTions, but pride and envy 
urged them to the moil base and despicable 
a6Hons ; their riling resentment ftudied re- 
venge, and they were so mean as to urge 
our exalted Redeemer to discourse on 
various subjefts, with no other view than to 
ensnare him, and by that means render 
him obnoxious, either to the Roman gov- 
ernment, or to the common people amongft 
the Jews. The evangelift informs us, that, 
as he sa^d these things unto them, the Scribes 
and Pharisees began to urge him vehemently, 
and to provoke him to speak of many things, 
laying m wait for him, and seeking to catch 
something out of his mouth, that they might 
accuse him. 

Our great Redeemer balfled all their at- 
tempts, and leaving the house of the Pha- 
risee, he went amongft the multitude which 
was waiting at the door ; so great were the 
numbers, and so hard did they press to get 
near the exalted person of our Saviour, 
that they trod one upon another. The firil 
discourse he held with the multitude, after 
he had left the Pharisee's house, was to 
warn themagainft the pernicious poison of 
the Pharisee's example, who appeared in 
disguise, and pretended to be the moft ftrift 
in the observance of the law, the moft 
fimple in their manners, and pure and 
spotless in their conversation, when, at the 
same time, they were privately guilty of 
the moft gross and scandalous vices : our 
Lord, therefore, exhorted the multitude to 
be very careful not to do any thing which 
would not bear the light, but let the whole 
of their behaviour be honeft, open, and 
upright; for the time would come, when 
all secrets will be revealed, and all the 
works of darkness brouc^ht toli^ht: Beware 
ye, said he, of the leaven of the Pharisees, 
zvhich is hypocrisy. For there is nothing 
covered that fliall not be revealed ; neither 



hid, that ftall not be known. Therefore^ 
whatever ye have spoken in darkness, fhall 
he heard in the light, and that which yc 
have spoken in the ear in closets, fhall be 
proclaimed upon the house tops. 

Our Redeemer proceeded to observe^ 
that an open, honeft course of conduft, 
above hypocrisy, and disdaining all dis- 
guise, would enable them to put their truft 
in their Maker ; while the contrary conduft 
tended to fill the mind with that fear of 
man, which is so prejudicial to the welfare 
of the soul : he therefore 6ch'orted them, 
not to fear the malice or power of any of 
the sons of men ; these can'extend no fur- 
ther than the death of the body, but can- 
not touch the immortal soul, which may 
bid defiance to the impotent rage of the 
gloomy tyrant, and never tremble at the 
fury of the oppreflbr : such weak and feeble 
creatures as man are not to be feared, but 
the wrath of the Eternal God ought rather 
to be dreaded ; he is able, after he hath 
deftroyed the body, to confine the soul in 
eternal torments. How happy are the 
persons who are under his holy proteftion : 
all things are in his power, nothing can 
escape his notice, nor any thing happen 
without his permiftion : And I say unto 
you, my friends, said our great Redeemer, 
be ?iot af raid of them that kill the body, and 
after that have no more that they can do. 
But I will forewarn you whom ye fhall fear : 
fear him, which, after he hath killed, hath 
power to cajl into hell; yea, I say unto you, 
fear him- Are not five sparrows s&ld for 
two farthings, and not one of them is for- 
gotten before God ? But even the very hairs 
of your head are all numbered. Fear not 
therefore ; ye are of more value than many 
sparrows. 

The blefled Jesus thought fit to add, 
that the fear of man would be a snare to 
great numbers, and prevent them from 
confeffing the truth ; but whoever were 
overcome by this prevailing principle, and 
were aftiamed to acknowledge our Saviour, 
would be finally rejefted at the awful day, 
when he would fit in judgment, and own 
and reward all his faithful followers : and 
whoever were induced to speak evil of the 
Spirit of God, the grand agent in carrying 
on the Meftiah's kingdom in the hearts of 
men, our Redeemer informed them, ftiould 
be punifhed with peculiar and diilinguilhed 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



vengeance, by a juftly-provoked, fin-aveng- 
ing God : Also I say unto you, said he, zvhu- 
soever Jhall confess me bef ore men, him Jhall 
the Son of man also confess before the angels 
of God. And whosoever fJiall speak a word 
againfi. the Son of man, it Jliall be forgiven 
him : but unto him that blasphemeih againf 
the Holy Ghofl, it fJiall not be f orgiven. 

Having (hewn the neceffity of" boldly 
confefiing him before men, he proceeded 
to encourage his disciples with the promise 
of immediate aniftance, when they were 
brought before princes and the great men 
of the earth'; which divine aflistance would 
deliver them from all embarraffment, re- 
spefting what they fhould answer, when 
they were examined concerning their faith : 
And when they bring you unto the syna- 
gogues, and unto magiftrates, and powers, 
take ye no thought hozo, or what ye fhall an- 
swer, or what ye fhall say ; for the Holy 
Ghofl fliall teach you in the same hour, what 
ye ought to say. 

While the bleffed Jesus was delivering 
these exhortations to his disciples, a person 
amongft the surrounding multitude begged 
that he would interpose his authority with 
his brother, in order to oblige him to di- 
vide the paternal inheritance with him ; 
but, as this decifion properly belonged to 
the magiftrate, our bleffed Saviour, who 
did not come into the world to settle 
worldly aftairs, but to attend to those things 
which concerned the immortal soul, de- 
clined the tafk, with this reply, Man, who 
made me a judge or a divider over you ? 
He took occafion, however, from hence, 
in the moft solemn manner, to caution his 
hearers againft covetousness : for he ob- 
served that neither the length nor the hap- 
piness of life, depended on the largeness of 
poffelfions : Take heed, said he, and beware 
of covetousness ; for a mans life confifleth not 
tn the abundance of the things which he 
poffefeth. 

And to enforce this important exhorta- 
tion, he placed before them, in the ftrongefl 
and mofl alarming point of light, an ex- 
ample of the bewitching influence of 
wealth, in the parable of the rich glutton, 
who was suddenly cut off in the midft of 
his projefts, and became a dreadful ex- 
ample of the folly of amafhng the riches 
of this world, and depending on the goods 
of this life, without any regard to the 
No. 6. 



government of God, or the intcrefls of ihe 
immortal soul. This wretched man, for- 
getting his mortality, made preparations 
for a long and luxurious life, pleafing him- 
self with the ihouf^hts of a \oivi succefhon 
of sensual enjoyments : but, alas ! whilll 
he was providing repofitories for his vafl 
riches, he was arrefled by the king of ter- 
rors, and hurried, without time for confid- 
eration, into the eternal world. The para- 
ble which our great Redeemer put forth 
on this occafion, is contained in these 
words : The ground of a certain rich man 
brought forth plentifully : and he thought 
within himself , saying, What fiallldo, be- 
cause I have no room where to befluw my 
fruits ? And he said, This will I do : I will 
pull down my barns, and build greater ; and 
there will I beflow all my fruits, and my 
goods. And I will say to my soul. Soul, 
thou hafl much goods laid up for many 
years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be 
merry. But God said unto him, thou fool, 
this night thy soul fiall be required of thee : 
then whose fiall those things be which thou 
haft provided ? 

What an awful summons was this ! How 
unexpefted, how alarming, how dreadful ! 
The man lying on his bed, full of anxiety, 
care, and solicitude, not to acquire wealth, 
but how to make room to lodge it, and 
how to enjoy it : doubtless he thought, that 
riches gave him a title to every gratifica- 
tion and enjoyment which the world can af- 
ford, or the sense and appetite of man par- 
take of ; his reftless thought ranges through 
the wide fields of diffipation and pleasure, 
and such numerous scenes of imaginary 
delight press on his ravifhcd senses, he 
knows not where to fix. In the midft of 
this pleafing perplexity, a ftran^e meffen- 
ger ffrikes at his breaft. Who is it that thus 
alarms him ? It is the great king of terrors, 
he comes commiffioned to deftroy ; the 
case admits of no refusal or delay. Is there 
no refuge ! is there no deliverer ! Call the 
Phyficians : they inftantly attended, but 
with looks solemn and sad. What ! is 
there no hope ? So often as you have par- 
took of my bounty, and such obligations 
as you are under to me. They all, with 
grief, declared the case beyond iheir art. — 
Then say, how long I have to live. — The 
compass of the night concludes your earthly 
race. — How fliort the warning, and with 
LI 



138 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



what hafty fteps the dread deftroyer ad- 
vances to flop my breath ! But is there no 
way to appease him, and engage him to 
hold his hand ? Will he not be persuaded? 
He makes no agreement or league with 
any. Will not pity excite him, or peti- 
tions move him ? He knows no pity, and 
he hears no prayers. Will not my riches 
bribe him ? Riches are unavailable in the 
hour of death ; nor will mountains of gold 
delay the awful ftroke one moment. But 
how many wretched creatures are there, 
who would be glad of his friendly aid to 
deftroy a loathed exiftence? Why then 
fhould he attack one who had such vaft 
prospers of pleasure and delight before 
him and gloried in the expe6lation of 
many happy years to come ? He afts ac- 
cording to his commilTion from above, and 
the awful ftroke no mortal can escape or 
evade a moment^ Then all is over ! let 
me think who (hall be my heir. But reason 
failed ; and, before that important point 
could be settled, the poor deluded mortal 
expired. And now, inftead of a long suc- 
ceffion of sensual delights, an awful eternity 
presents itself to view, and the poor soul is 
terrified and plunged into the depths of 
despair and horror, at the prospefl; of 
judgment to come. A dark night of horror 
in an inftant overwhelms that soul, which 
had promised itself so much ease and plea- 
sure; and, inftead of eating, drinking, and 
making merry ; inftead of gay scenes of dis- 
fipation, and a variety of sensual delights ; 
eternal tortures, unspeakable thirft, weep- 
ing, wailing, and gnaftiing of teeth, muft 
be the portion of this miserable being to all 
eternity. 

Sa is he, added our great Redeemer, that 
layeth up treasure for himself, and is not 
rich toward God. Thus {hall he be taken 
away from all that his soul defireth ; thus 
fhall he be torn from all his temporal pros- 
pers and pleasures ; none of his beloved 
enjoyments (hall follow him ; naked as he 
came ftiall he depart out of the world ; nor 
could all his riches, could he take them 
with him, be able to procure him the leaft 
comfort or respite in this world of horrors. 
How ihould this refle6tion awaken us from 
our pleasing dreams of comfort and hap- 
piness, in this world of misery, this vale of 
tears : how fiiould it convince us of the 
uncertainty of all sublunary good, and the 



utter impoflibility of the things of this 
world to satisfy the soul, or make us truly 
happy : how fhould it alarm us, when, 
planning fancied schemes of worldly plea- 
sure or advantage, without the leaft confi- 
deration of the great Disposer of all events, 
how ftiould it reconcile us to the disposal 
of Infinite Wisdom, when our portion of 
temporal things is small and scanty ; and 
we are surrounded with difficulties and 
troubles : without the afliftance of the great 
King of the universe, all our promises of 
security are vain and foolilh ; he can 
render all our labours abortive ; and the 
richeft and moft opulent person, when 
they think themselves secure, and are 
planning schemes of pleasure and gratifi- 
cation, may, in a moment, be ftripped of 
all their pofleflions, and torn from all their 
comforts ; when the soul, naked and de- 
fenceless, and clothed in all it's guilt, will 
enter into an awful eternity, and be 
brought, trembling and aftoniihed, to the 
throne of it's offended Maker. 

Our bleflcd Saviour, having delivered 
this awakening parable, proceeded to ap- 
ply it to his disciples ; and from hence 
took occafion to warn them of an over- 
solicitous care, concern, and defire after 
the things of this world. He rather ad- 
vised them to truft in God, whose fatherly 
care extends itself over all his creatures : 
the fowls of heaven are fed by his bounty, 
and the lilies are clothed in brighter huey. 
and more glorious raiment than the greateft 
monarch. If, therefore, argued the blefled 
Jesus, the great Governor of all things 
so carefully provides for the inferior part 
of his creation ; if he feeds the ravens and 
clothes the lilies ; surely the children of 
men have the higheft reason to depend on 
his all-preserving, and all-supporting good- 
ness ; especially those who have the well- 
grounded hopes, that the great Eternal 
Maker and Supporter of all things, has ap- 
pointed them to happiness in a future ftate, 
have little reason to doubt that he will not 
provide them all that is neceftary for their 
comfort and support in this : tearnot, said 
he, little fock : for it is your Father's good 
pleasure to give you the kingdom. At the 
same time, he gave his disciples another 
precept, particularly calculated for those 
times, in which the profeflion of the gospel 
exposed men to the loss of their subftance : 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



139 



Sell thai ye have, said he, and give alms ; 
provide yourselves bags which luax not old, 
a treasure in the heavens, that Jaileth not, 
where 710 thief approacheth, neither moth 
corrupteth : far ivtiere your treasure is there 
will your hearts be also. 

Having thus exhorLed them to the disen- 
gagement of their afieclions from the things 
of this world, he advised them to be at all 
times ready for the discharge of their duty *. 
Let, said he, your Loins be girded about, 
and yowr Lights burning ; and ye yourselves 
like unto men that icait for thetr Lord, 
lichen he will return from the wedding; 
thatvjhm he cometh and knocketh, they may 
open unto him immediattly. 

This was spoken in allufion to the 
cuftoms of the eaflern countries, where 



anciently great entertainments were made 
in the evening; and, on these occafions, 
servants demonflrated their diligence, by 
' watching, and keeping their loins girded, 
that they might be ready to open the door 
on the firft knock of their mafter : nor was 
It uncommon for the mafter, in order to 
reward such a ser\'ant, to order him a re- 
paft, and sometimes even to give it him 
with his own hand. In allufion to which 
cuftom, our bleffed Saviour added, Blejfed, 
are those servants, whom the Lord, when, 
he cometh, Jhall find watching : verily, I say 
unto yau, that he fiiall gird himself, and 
make them to fit down to meat, and will coins 
forth and serve them. 



CHAPTER XXin. 



remarks the Ignorance and stupidity of th^ Jews, in not discerning the Times: 
and fheweth the Danger ofnegleciing the Mea?is of Reconciliation offered than: He 
fheweth, that temporal Calamities are no sure Signs of Sinfulness, but that others 
fJiould take Warning by them, and repent: He delivers th^ Parable of the Fig-Tree, 
thai was ordered to be cut down for being fruitless : He healeth a Woman that had 
been long bowed together, andpwtteth the hypocritical Ruler of the Synagogue to Silence^ 
Christ being afaed of the number of the saved, he exliortfth to frive to entei- in at the 
firaight Gate : He is wariud to leave the Dominions of Herod, but will not be diverted, 
from his Course through Fear ; and lamenteth over the approaching Desolatian of 
Jerusalem : He healeth the Dropsy on the Sabbath, and jufiifieth his doing so : 
He recommendeth Humility ; and 'Hospitality towards the Poor : And delivers the 
Parable of the Marriage-Supper, and 0/ the Guefis, who making excuses wsre excluded^ 
and their Rooms filled by others. 



HAVING concluded his inftruftions 
to his disciples, our Lord then ad- 
drefled the multitude, and remarked the 
prevailing infidelity of the Jewifli nation, 
and observed, that the evidences of his 
being the Meffiah were clearer and ftronger 
than those marks in the fky, which deno- 
minated fair or rainy weather to be ap- 
proaching: and though the people were very 
acute and sagacious in the one, they were 
unaccountably blind and undiscerning in 
the other : When ye see a cloud rise out of 
the Weft, firaitway ye say. There cometh a 
fhower ; and so it is. And when ye see 
the south wind blow, ye say, There will be 
heat : and it cometh to pass. Ye hypocrites, 



ye can discern the face of the fky and of 
the earth ; but hozv is it that ye do not 
discern this titne ? 

But he proceeded to let them know, 
that their blindness, obftinacy, and rebel- 
lion, fhould be severely punifhed, and 
that he would come in as unexpefted a 
manner, as a thief cometh in the night : he 
therefore cxorted them to a speedy re- 
formation, telling them that thev ouo-ht to 
confider well what way their peace was to 
be expecled. and diligently attend to those 
things which would preserve them from 
the consequences of their rebellion. When 
thou go eft with thine adversary to the ma- 
giftratc, as thm art tn th^ zoay, give dili- 



140 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



p;ence that thou iriaycji be delivered from 
him ; lejt he hale thee to the judge, and the 
judge delwer thee to the ojjicer, and the offi- 
cer caji thee into prison : I tell thee, thou 
Jhalt not depart thence, till thou hajt paid 
the very laji mite. 

Some of his hearers thought proper to 
confirm this doftrine, by giving what they 
thought an example of it : There -were pre- 
sent at that season, some that told him of 
the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had 
mingled luith their sacrifices ; thinking 
that these persons had been guiky of some 
extraordinary crime, for which Providence 
had permitted this dreadful punifhment to 
befall them : but our blefi'ed Saviour ex- 
pressly told them, that they were much 
mistaken in this conclufion, lor this deplo- 
rable calamity was no indication that these 
Galileans were greater hnners than their 
countrymen. At the same time, he exhort- 
ed them to improve such inftances of cala- 
mity and misery, as incitements to their 
own repentance, affuring them that if they 
neglefted so juft and neceffary a work, 
they fliould all perifh : And Jems answer- 
ing, said unto them, Suppose ye that these 
Galileans were finners above all the Gali- 
leans, because they suffered such things ? I 
tell you. Nay : but, except you repent, ye 
fhall all likewise perifii. 

He further illuftrated this do6lrine, by 
remarking, that this way of interpreting 
the dispensations of Providence, would 
lead them to erroneous conclufions, when- 
ever they heard of unexpe8;ed and dread- 
ful evils falling on the sons cf men ; and 
inltanced the' case of the eighteen per- 
sons on whom the tower of Siloam fell, 
and crufired them to pieces : Or, said he, 
those nglUeen upon whom the tower in Si- 
loam fit, and few them, think ye that they 
were fnners above all men that dwelt m 
Jerusalem ? I tell you, Nay : but, except 
you repent, ye fiall all likewise pen fh. 

Our Lord also endeavoured to rouse 
them to the confideration of their ftate, 
by the parable of the fig-tree, which the 
mafter of the vineyard, after finding it 
three years barren, ordered to be deftroyed, 
but at the earnefl; requeft of the drelfer of 
the vine)'ard, it was spared one year longer: 
A certain man, said lie, liad a fig-irce 
planted in Ins vinryard ; and he came and 
sought fiiLit ihercon, and found none. 



Then said he unto thedrefjer of his vineyard. 
Behold, these three years I come seeking Jruit 
on this fig-tree, and find none; cutitdowUf 
why cumber eth it the ground? And he an- 
swering, said unto him, Lord, let it alone 
this year also, till I dig about it, and dung 
it : and if it bear fruit, well ; and if not, 
then afier that thou fhcdt cut it down. 

By this parable, our Lord represented 
the goodness and forbearance of his Al- 
mighty Father, manifefted towards the 
Jewifh nation, where his Son had now been 
about three years, preaching the kingdom 
of God : and though they might bejuftly 
deftroyed for their obftinacy and perverse- 
ness, yet the awful ftroke was delayed, and 
space was given them for repentance ; but 
he gave them a ftrong intimation, in this 
parable, that if they perfifted they rriuft 
expeft that vengeance will not always 
flcep, but, after all the divine forbearance 
had been abused, would awake to their 
sudden and dreadful deftru6lion. 

When our Lord was teaching in one of 
the synagogues in Perea, on the Sabbath- 
day, he observed a woman, who for the 
space of eighteen years, had not been able 
to ftand upright. A person labouring un- 
der so dreadful a disorder, could not fail 
of exciting the compalTion of the benevo- 
lent Saviour of finners ; he beheld this af- 
fe6lin.g objeft with pity, and he removed 
her complaint ; Ihe who came to the syna- 
gogue bowed down to the ground with an 
infirmity, returned to her house upright, 
being, by the all-powerful Son of God, re- 
ftored to perfeft health. 

This benevolent aflion, which surely 
deserved the thanks of the whole congre- 
gation, so highly offended the mafter of 
the synagogue, that he openly teftified his 
displeasure, and reproved the people, and 
represented them as Sabbath-breakers, be- 
cause they came that day to be healed : 
There are fix days, said this surly, self-con- 
ceited ruler to the people, m which men 
ought to work : in them there] ore come and 
be healed, and not on the Sabbath-day. 

But our Lord soon filenced this self- 
conceited Pharisee, by observip/g that he 
had not deviated from their own avowed 
practice : they made no scruple of loofing 
their cattle, and leading them to the water 
on the Sabbath-day, because the mercy of 
the a6fion sufficiently juftified them for 



r 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



141 



performing it ; and surely his a6lion of 
loofing, by a fingle word, a woman, a 
rational creature, a daughter of Abraham, 
who had been bound by an incurable dis- 
temper, the tedious space of eighteen years, 
was abuadantly juftified : nor could this 
bigotted ruler have thought otherwise, had 
not his reason been blinded by his super- 
ftition. Such was the sentiment of the Son 
of God, who answered him with this se- 
vere rebuke. Thou hypocrite, doth not each 
one of you on the sabbath, loose his ox or 
his ass jrom the Jiall, and lead him away 
to watering ? And ought not this woman, 
being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan 
hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, he loosed 
from this bond on the Sabbath-day ? And 
when he had said these things, all his ad- 
versaries were afJiamed : and all the people 
rejoiced for all the glorious things that were 
done by him. 

From this inftance we may remark the 
evil effe6^s of superflition, and a bigotted 
attachment to customs and ceremonies, 
which have no foundation in reason nor 
the revealed will of God ; these pernicious 
principles oppose the use of the faculties, 
root compalTion out of the heart, and de- 
ftroy the feelings of humanity. 

Our Lord having filenced the proud 
ruler of the synagogue, and received xht 
acclamations and applauses of the people : 
he reflefted with pleasure on the truth, rea- 
son, and divine power from above, which 
support his kingdom ; and, on this occa- 
lion, he repeated the parables of the grain 
of muftard-seed, and the leaven, to (hew 
the future success of the gospel, and the 
power and influence of his religion on the 
hearts and lives of men, and it's rapid pro- 
gress through the world notwithftanding 
the oppofition of the great men of the 
earth, and the fury of the unthinking mul- 
titude. 

Our Lord having thus sown the seeds of 
the gospel in the country of Perea, he 
crofled Jordan, and proceeded by flow and 
fliort ftages towards Jerusalem, preaching 
the gospel in every village, and publifhing 
the glad-tidings, of salvation to the inhabi- 
tants of the cc untries he pafled through. 

While he was thus prosecuting the great 
work of inftrufting mankind, one of the 
persons who accompanied him, inquired, 
Lord, are there Jew that be saved. Pro- 
No. 6. 



bably the person who proposed this ques- 
tion, had heard our Lord describe the suc- 
cess of the gospel, by the parables of the 
mustard-seed, and the leaven ; and had no 
further views of the kingdom of the Mes- 
fiah, than the setting up a temporal domin- 
ion. These notions were entertained by 
the Jews in general, and induced them to 
conclude, that Christ hereby meant no 
more than a temporal salvation. But Jesus, 
to convince this curious inquirer, and the 
reft of the Jews, that he had no intention 
to ereft a secular kingdom, answered his 
queftion in a spiritual manner, by which 
he gave the Jews to underftand, that very 
few of them would be partakers of the ho- 
nour and happiness of his kingdom : and 
he exhorted them to use their utmoft ef- 
forts to know the truth, and become mem- 
bers of the church and heirs of glory, by 
improving the means which were afforded 
them ; for the time would soon come, he 
affurcd them, when the means which they 
now enjoyed would be taken away, and 
they would perceive their ftate to be finally 
and inrevocably determined, and then, 
however earneftly they might defire such 
opportunities as they now enjoyed, they 
fhould not be able to attain them : Strive, 
said he, to enter in at the fir aight gate : for 
many, I say unto you, will seek to enter 
in, and fhall not be able. When once the 
Majier of the house is risen up, and hath 
fhut to the door, and ye begin to fland with- 
out, and to knock at the door, saying. Lord, 
Lord, open unto us, and he fiall answer, 
and say unto you, I know you not whence you 
are. This sentence, our Lord informed 
them, would be final, and not to be altered 
by their moft earneft petitions and expoftu- 
lations : Then, added our great Redeemer, 
/hall ye begin to say, We have eaten and 
drank in thy presence, and thou haji taught 
in our Jireets. But he fhall say, I tell you, 
I know you not whence you are ; depart 
from me, all ye workers of iniquity. 2 here 
fhall be weeping and gnaf king of teeth, when 
ye f tail see Abraham, and Laac, and Jacob, 
and all the prophets, in the k ingdom of God, 
and you yourselves thrufi out. And they 
I fhall come jrom the Eaf, and from the Wefl, 
and from the North, and from the South, 
and fall ft dozon in the kingdcvi of God. 
And behold, there are lafi ichich fall be frf, 
and there are frfi which fall be laJL 
M m 



142 



LIFE OF JE 



SUS CHRIST 



Soon after our blefled Saviour had deli- 
vered these sentiments, some of the Pha- 
risees thinking to intimidate him, and cause 
him to depart out of the country, came to 
him and pretended that Herod had a de- 
fign againft his life. It is not likely that 
Herod, who had suffered so much remorse 
on account of his having put John the Bap- 
tift to death, fhould so soon attempt the 
life of one whose works declared him to be 
a greater prophet; perhaps, that prince 
might wifli Jesus to depart out of his ter- 
ritories, though he durft not use force 
againft him : nor is it unlikely that the 
Pharisees were defirous of his departure 
out of the country, because his discourses 
tended to expose their hypocrisy, and lelTen 
them in the opinion of the people. The 
answer which our great Redeemer made 
to this meffage, is contained in the follow- 
words : Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold I 
caji out devils, and I do cures to-day ^ and 
to-morrow, and the third day I [hall be 
pcrjed:ed. Nevertheless, I muji walk to-day, 
and to-morrow, and the. day following : 
for it cannot be, that a prophet per ifk out of 
Jerusalem. 

Having returned this answer to the Pha- 
risees, and confidering the treatment which 
the prophets had met with from the inha- 
bitants of Jerusalem, and well-knowing 
the wickedness of that unbelieving city, 
and their deligns againft his life, he pathet- 
ically lamented their obftinacy and per- 
verseness, and the terrible desolation which 
would,soon overtake them for their fins : 
Q Jerusalem, Jerusalem, said he, which 
killejl the prophets, and flonejl them that 
are sent unto thee ; how often would I have 
gath'^red thy children together, as a hen 
gather eth her brood under her wings, and 
ye would not ! . Behold, your house is left 
^nio you desolate: and verily I say unto 
you, ye fiall not see me, until the time come, 
when ye fiall say, Blefjed is he that cometh 
in the name oj the Lord. 

One of the chief of the Pharisees, soon 
after our Lord had made this pathetic ex- 
clamation, invited him to his house to take 
a repaft : Jesus well knew, that this invi- 
tation did not proceed from hearty good- 
will ; but, as he never fhunned an oppor- 
tunity of doing good, even to his moft im- 
placable enemies, he thought fit to accept 
it. It was the Sabbath-day, and when he 



had entered the Pharisee s house, a man 
was brought before him who was diseased 
with a dropsy. The Pharisees well knew 
the benevolent dispofition of our great Re- 
deemer, and they thought so miserable an 
objeft would not fail of exciting his com- 
paflion, and cause him to work a miracle 
on that day, which would give them the 
opportunity of accufmg him as a pro- 
phaner, of the Sabbath. Jesus, who knew 
the secret thoughts of their hearts, afked 
the Pharisees and lawyers. Whether it was 
lawful to heal on the Sabbath-day, ? But- 
they refufing to give any answer to the 
queftion, our Lord laid his hand on the 
diseased person, and immediately his 
body was reduced to it's former dimenfions, 
and his health and ftrength returned. So 
kind, so salutary and benevolent, as well 
as wonderful an aftion, ought to have 
convinced the Pharisees, that the person 
who wrought it muft be endowed with 
power from on high, as no less than the 
mighty power of God could produce such 
events ; or if they could suppose that wick- 
ed agents had the power, this is not the 
way in which they might be expefted to 
exert it: but these hypocritical wretches, 
inftead of being persuaded that Jesus was 
sent from God, and exerted his miracu- 
lous powers for the good of mankind, 
were labouring to turn this miracle to his 
disadvantage. ^ 

But our Lord soon put an end to their 
wicked defigns, by proving, that according 
to their own allowed practice, he had done 
nothing but what was lawful : Which of you 
said fiall have an ass or an ox fallen into 
a pit, and will not Jlraightway pull him out 
on the Sabbath-day? Our Lords argument 
flood thus. If a misfortune happens to one 
of your beafts, you make no scruple of 
alTifting it on the Sabbath, though the 
aftionbe attended with confiderable la- 
bour ; and surely, I may relieve a de- 
scendant of Abraham, when nothing, 
more is required, than touching him 
with my hand. This reasoning was so 
ftrong, forcible, and conclusive, and, at 
the same time, so fimple and easy, that 
the moft illiterate of mankind muft see its 
propriety and feel it's force, and the moft 
prejudiced could not contradift it. This 
was manifeft from the profound filence 
with which these remarks of our Lord were 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



H3 



heard, and which continued after he had 
done speaking. None of his adversaries, 
however inveterate their mahce, or hot 
their resentment, durft at this time ap- 
pear againft him, for they could not an- 
swer again to these things. 

Before they sat down to meat, our bles- 
sed Saviour had an opportunity of remark- 
ing the pride of the Pharisees, which 
manifefted itself by an anxious and eager 
dehre to obtain the moft honourable place 
at the table ; nor did he fail, on this 
occafion, to give them such a rebuke, as 
their ridiculous behaviour deserved. To 
make them senfible of their folly, our 
Lord called upon them to confider, that 
pride generally exposes the person to fre- 
quent mortifications, and many affronts 
while an humble deportment is a sure 
way to honour and respeft : When thou 
art bidden of any man to a wedding, said he, 
Jit nM down in the highefl room; left a 
more honourable man than thou be bidden of 
him ; and he that bade thee and him, come 
and say to thee. Give this man place ; and 
thou begin with fhame to take the loweji 
room. But when thou art bidden, go and 
fit down in the loweft room ; that when he 
that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee. 
Friend, go up higher : then /halt thou have 
worjhip in the presence of them that ft at 
meat with thee. For whosoever exalteth 
himself fhall be abased ; and he that hum- 
bleth himself fhall be exalted. 

Having dire6led this discourse to the 
Pharisees in general, our Lord turned to 
the mafter of the house, and said unto 
him. When thou makefl a dinner or a sup- 
per, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, 
neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neigh- 
bours. But when thou makefl a feaft, call 
the poor, the maimed, the lame, arid the 
blind : limit not thy hospitality to the rich 
and great, but let the poor and needy be 
partakers of thy bounty: and thou fhalt 
he bleffed, added our Lord, /or they cannot 



recompense thee : but thou fhalt be recom- 
pensed at the resurrection of the jufl. 

While our Lord was thus discourfing, 
one of the Pharisees, seeming to he ravilh- 
ed with the delightf ul prospeft of the hap- 
piness which good men will enjoy in the 
heavenly world, cried out, Bleffed is he 
that fhall eat bread in the kingdom of God. 
Our Lord, in answer to this, took occafion 
to deliver to the company at the table, 
the parable of the marriage-supper : A 
certain man, said he, made a great supper, 
and bade many ; and sent his servant at 
sMpper-time, to say to them that were bidden. 
Come : for all things are now ready. And 
they all with one consent began to make ex- 
cuses. The firf said unto him, I have 
bought apiece of ground, and I mufl needs 
go and see it : I pray thee have me excused. 
And another said, I have brought five yoke 
of oxen, and I go to prove them: 1 pray thee 
have me excused. And another said, I have 
married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. 
So that servant came, and fiewed his Lord 
these things. Then the majler oj the house, 
being angry, said to his servant. Go out 
quickly into thf.fireets and lanes of the 
city, and bring m hither the poor, and the 
maimed, and the halt, and the blind. And 
the servant said. Lord, it. is done as thou 
haft commanded, and yet there is room. And 
the Lord said unto f.he servant. Go out into 
the highways and hedges, and compel them to 
come in, that my house may be fitted : for I say 
unto you, that none of those men which were 
hidden, fhall tafte of my supper. 

By this parable, our Lord elegantly and 
beautifully described the infidelity of the 
Jews and their final reje6ljon of the hea- 
venly mcffage, while the poor, blind, de- 
spised Gentiles, brought by powerful grace, 
like the persons who were compelled to 
come in from the highways and hedges, 
would be enabled to believe in the Son of 
God, and become thereby partakers of 
those bleffings which the unbelieving Jews 
rejefted ;ind despised. 



144 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



CHAPTER XXIV. 



Jesus being surrounded by vaji Multitudes of "People, he adviseth those who are witling 
to be his Disciples, to examine beforehand their Resolution in Case oj Persecutions. 
The Pharisees murmer at Christ Jor receiving Sinners : He delivers the Para- 
ble of the lojl Sheep, and Piece of Silver ; of the Prodigal Son, and of the 
unjujt Steward. Christ reproveth the Hypocrisy of the Pharisees, who were 
covetous, and derided him : and delivers the Parable of the rich Man and Lazarus 
the Beggar. 



AFTER our blefled Saviour had de- 
parted from the Pharisee's house, 
great multitudes of people thronged about 
him, to hear his doftrine, and to behold 
his wonderous works : but the people in 
genera], miftook the nature of his king- 
dom ; for it was the general expeftation 
that he was going to eftablifh the MefTiah's 
throne in Jerusalem, and from thence to 
conquer all the nations in the world, and 
render them tributary to his powen 

As our Lord well knew that the people 
followed him with such expeftations, he 
took the lirfl: opportunity to undeceive 
them, and to declare in the plained terms, 
that his kingdom was not of this world, 
and, of consequence, those who followed 
him for temporal advantage, would be sure 
to find themselves mistaken ; for, on the 
contrary, his disciples muft expeft to be 
persecuted from city to city, and hated of 
all men for his name's sake. And he fur- 
ther observed, that it was neceffary for all 
who would be his true followers, to prefer 
his service to the riches, grandeur, and 
pleasures of the world, and to mani- 
feft by their conduft, that they had a 
greater value for him, than for the deareft 
objefts of their affe6liOns : If any man come 
to me, said he, and hate not his father, and 
mother, and wfe, and children, and bre- 
thren, and fjlers, yea, and his own life also, 
he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever 
doth not bear his cross, and come after me, 
cannot be my disciple. 

And to fhew the folly of expefting to 
partake of the blelTmgs of the iVlefliah 's 
kingdom, while they preferred their world- 
ly attachments to our great Redeemer, he 
compare clthe case of such persons lo that 
of an uni hinking builder, and of a rafh 
and forw ard warrior : the former was 



obliged to leave his ftrufture unfinifhed, 
because he had foolilhly begun the build- 
ing before he had computed the coft ; and 
the latter reduced to the disgrace either of 
being fhamefully defeated, or meanly suing 
for peace, because he had rafhly declared 
war before he had compared his own 
ftrength with that of the enemy : So like- 
wise, added our great Redeemer, whosoever 
he be of you thai forsaketh not all that he 
hath, he cannot be my disciple. 

The fame of the miracles which Jesus 
daily wrought, and the divine discourses 
which he delivered, being spread in the 
moft obscure and unpolite parts of the 
country, several persofls of infamous lives 
and abandoned charafters came amongft 
the crowds which prelTed to hear him. 
These persons, c nscious of their unworthi- 
ness, approached our great Redeemer with 
the higheft reverence, and heard him with 
the moft respeftful and fteady attention. 
This opportunity was readily embraced by 
the great Saviour of fmners, who far from 
upbraiding them with their former wicked- 
ness, or spurning them from him with con- 
tempt, kindly condescended to inftruft 
them in those things which concerned 
their everlafting peace, and not only taught 
them in the fields, but went with them to 
their houses, and kindly condescended to 
teach them the nature of his kingdom, and 
lead them in the way of eternal life and 
happiness. 

This condescending goodness in our 
great Redeemer was highly offenfive to the 
proud, self-conceited, self righteous Pha- 
risees ; they wanted to be accepted on the 
footing of their own worthiness, and could 
not bear the thoughts of the infinite mercy 
of God, manifefled to the greateft of fin- 
and, therefore, with hearts full ofen- 



ners 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES, 



•vious pride, they advanced it as a ground 
of reproach againft our great Redeemer, 
that, this man receivdh, Jinnersy andeateth 
with them. Their pride could not bear the 
thought, that these persons whom they so 
much despised, fhould be looked upon by 
our Saviour with more kindness than them- 
selves, and they thought his condescenfion 
unworthy the charafter of a prophet. 
They had no other views of divine ac- 
ceptance, than such as had an immediate 
reference to the law ; and the infinite 
mercy of God to finners, manifcfted in the 
gospel of his Son, was what they could 
not underftand ; our great Redeemer, 
therefore, to convince them of their igno- 
rance, to check their abominable pride 
and self-sufficiency, to display the exten- 
five and abundant mercy of God to finful 
man, and to vindicate his own conduft in 
converling with the meaneft and moft 
contemptible persons, prop^ sed three par- 
ables to their confidcration. 

The firft of these parables was that of 
the loft fheep, which the Divine Inftruftor 
delivered in the following words : What 
man of you, having an hundred Jhcep, if he 
lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety 
and nine in the wilderness, and go after that 
which is lofi, until he find it ? And when he 
hath found it, he layeth it on his fiouLders, 
rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he 
calleth together his friends and neighbours, 
saying unto them. Rejoice with me ; fr I 
have found my flieep which was loft : Thus, 
by the natural turn of the human mind, 
which is reftless and uneasy under the mor- 
tification of lofing part of it's property, and 
fixes with such eager attention on that 
which it has loft, that it overlooks those 
valuable objefts which it has in pofleffion, 
our great Redeemer describes the regard 
which God has to his people while they 
wander from him in a loft periftiing con- 
dition ; and by the joy which expands the 
human heart, when that which had long 
heen given up for loft is recovered, our 
Lord displays the kind reception which the 
worft of finners will find when they are 
made senfible of their evil ways, and are 
enabled to believe in the Son of God for 
life and salvation. And in this elegant 
well-chosen parable he further describes 
the joy of the heavenly inhabitants, when 
any of the ftieep of Chrift, v/ho have long 



wandered from his fold, are convinced of 
their desperate condition, hunibled under 
a sense of their unworthiness and wicked- 
ness, and are enabled to return : / say 
unto you, said he, that likewise joy fiall 
he in heaven over one finner that repenteth, 
more than overnintty and nine jujl per sons , 
which need no repentance. 

There is no person on earth so juft and 
holy, and whose conduft hath been so 
regular, and uniformly corre61, as to need 
no repentarce ; but the proud Pharisees, 
to whom our Lord direfted these parables, 
would fain have been efteemecf by the 
world as such persons ; and these are par- 
ticularly referred to in this representation, 
which was intended to disp lay the ama- 
zing and infinite extent of divine forgive- 
ness. 

A second parable which our great Re- 
deemer publifhed with the same view, was 
that of the loft piece of filver : Either, said 
the Divine Inftru6lor, what woman having 
ten pieces of fiver, if fhe lose one piece, doth 
not light a candle, and sweep the house, and 
search diligently till fhe find it P and when 
fie hath found it, fie calleth her friends and 
her neighbours together, Saying, Rejoice 
with me ; for I have Jound the piece which I 
had loft. Likewise, 1 say unto you, there 
is joy in the presence of the angels of God 
over one fnner that repenteth. 

This parable is founded on the same 
principles, and publifhed with the same de- 
fign as the former, only the case and cir- 
cumftances are varied; and our great Re- 
deemer condescends in various forms and 
methods of address to inculcate the same 
truth. The infinite m^rcy of God to fin- 
ners, and the kind reception they will find, 
when they are enabled to repent and re- 
turn, is the great doftrine which runs 
through his gospel, and this is the great 
defign of all his undertakings ; to accomp- 
lifh this, to remove every difficulty which 
attended it, to overcome and subdue every 
power which opposed it, and to publifh 
the glad-tidings to a finful world, he left 
the glories of the heavenly regions, he laid 
afidethe dignity and glory of his heavenly 
nature, and condescended to become man ; 
he was a partaker of the evils consequent 
on fin, that finful men ipight be delivered 
from them ; he was a man of sorrows and 
acquainted with grief ,'xhd,x. we might be 



14S LIFE OF JES 

partakers of subftantial and eternal joy ; 
and he died that we might hve. To pub- 
lifh this great truth, and to prevail on the 
world to receive it, was the whole defign 
of his miniftry ; every doftrine he ad- 
vanced, every miracle which he wrought, 
had a natural tendency to promote this 
benevolent defign ; and this great end, in 
various forms of inftru6lion, and various 
methods of address, he invariably pursued 
during the time of his abode on earth. 

And that no method of address, no form 
of inftruflion, might be omitted, which 
would powerfully operate on the mind and 
prepare it for the reception of a truth, so 
worthy of God, so friendly to man, our 
Lord condescended to appeal to the feel- 
ings of humanity ; and from the natural 
affeftion which an offended father feels for 
a repenting son, he urged the certamty 
and the extent of his divine forgiveness. 

The parable which our great Redeemer 
proposed with this view, is the finelt pic- 
ture of nature ; it contains all the beauties 
of juft description, and is particularly cal- 
culated to engage the attention and elfeft 
the heart ; the evangel iR Luke hath given 
it in the following words : A certain man 
had two sons : And the younger of tkem said 
to his Father, Father, give me the portion of 
goods that Jalleth to me. And he divided 
unto them his living. And not many days 
after, the younger son gathered all together, 
and took his journey into a Jar country, and 
there wajied his subjlance with riotous living. 
And when he had spent all, there arose a 
mighty famine m that land ; and he began 
to be in want. And he went and joined 
himself to a citizen of that country ; and he 
sent him into his fields to feed swme. And 
he would fain have filled his belly with the 
hufiis that the szvine did eat ; and no man 
gave unto him. And when he came to him- 
self, he said. How many hired servants of 
my father's have bread enough, and to spare, 
and . Iperifii with hunger ! I will arise and 
go to my father, and I will say unto him, 
Father, I have finned againfi heaven, and 
before thee, and am no more worthy to be 
called thy son : make me as one of thy hired 
servants. And he arose, and came to his 
f ather. But when he was yet a great way 
off, his father saw him and had compaffion, 
and ran and fell on his neck and kiffed him. 
And the son said unto him, Father, I have 



US CHRIST 

finned againfi heaven, and in thy fight, and 
am no more worthy to be called thy son. 
But the father said to his servants, Bring 
forth the befi robe, and put it on him ; and 
put a ring on his hand, and fhoes on his 
feet ; and bring hither the f atted calf, and 
kill it ; and let us eat, and be merry : for 
this my son was dead, and is alive again ; 
he was lofi, and is found. And they began 
to be merry. Now his eldefi son was in the 
field; and as he came and drew nigh to the 
house, he heard mufic and dancing. And 
he called one of the servants, and afited 
what these things meant. And he said unto 
him, Ihy brother is come : and thy father 
hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath 
received him safe and sound. And he was 
angry, and would not go in : therefore came 
his father out, and entreated him. And hi 
answering, said to his father, Lo, these 
many years do I serve thee, neither traras- 
grefjtd I at any time thy commandment, and 
yet thou never gavefi me a kid, that I might 
make merry with my friends : but as soon as 
this thy son was come, vjhich hath devoured 
thy living with harlots, thou hafi killed for 
him the fatttd coif. And he said unto him. 
Son, thou art ever zoith 7ne, and all that I 
have is thine. It was meet that we fhould 
make merry, and be glad : for this thy bro- 
ther was dead, and is alive again ; and 
was lofi, cLnd is found. Luke xv. ii. to 
the end. 

The defign of this parable is manifefled 
at firll fight, and ftands a beautiful and un- 
fading memorial of the fulness, the freer 
ness, and extent of divine mercy to the 
greateft of finners ; it not only declares 
that it is the fixed determination of heaven 
to forgive, and that mercy is an eflential 
attribute of deity, the brightefl: ftar in the 
eternal crown ; but it fhews that this glo- 
rious dispofition of heaven to forgive, en- 
tirely coincides with the feelings of hu- 
manity ; for the eternal God condescends 
to appeal to that paternal tenderness which 
he hath planted in the human breafl:, in 
vindication of his own conduft in pardon- 
ing finners, and in explanation of the na- 
ture and extent of his m.ercy. 

If this parable be applied to the parti- 
cular case with which it fi:ands connefted, 
it contains a reproof which the blefled Je- 
sus dire0:ed to the Pharisees for their mur- 
muring at his condescending kindness tq 



* 



i 



'I 



1 



I 



AND LIVES or HIS APOSTLES. i 



publicans and finners ; and hereby they 
are taught that if they would resemble the 
holy and happy inhabitants of the coeles- 
tial regions, they would not murmur and 
complain, and look down with envious 
pride and sullen contempt while he con- 
versed with those who were noted for be- 
ing habitually and prevailingly wickep, but 
would rejoice to see such persons pursue 
those methods which might tend to their 
reformation and final salvation; nor would 
the gladness of heart they might express 
on this occafion, be any reproach to that 
ftriftness and purity which they value 
themselves upon ; for there is joy in heaven 
over one Jinner that repenteth, more than 
over ninety and nine jujl perfons which 
need no repentance. 

Oar Lord having thus vindicated his own 
conduft, in his condescending kindness to 
publicans and finners, by (hewing the vafl; 
extent of divine mercy, and the pleasure 
which the' happy inhabitants of the heaven- 
ly regions take in the pardon of the worft 
of fianers, and their reftoration to divine 
favour; he then delivered a parable to 
impress on the minds of his hearers the 
neceffity of attendmg to the concerns of 
futurity. This he exemplified in the case 
of an unjuft fteward, who being warned 
by his lord to give up his ftewavdlhip, 
took such measures as were likely to pro- 
cure him a subfifl:ence when he had loll his 
present employment : There was, said our 
great Redeemer, a certain rich man, which 
had a fteward : and the same was accused 
unto him that he had wa/ied his goods. And 
he called him, and said unto him, How is it 
that I hear this of thee ? give an account of 
thy Jtewardjhip ; for thou mayefi be no 
longer fleward, Then the fieward said 
ivithin himself What fiall I do ? for my 
Lord taketh away from me the fewardfhip ; 
I cannot dig ; to beg I am afhamed. I am 
resolved imat to do, that, when I am put 
out oj the fiewardfiiip, they may receive me 
into their houses. So he called every one of 
his Lord's debtors unto him, and said unto 
the firfi. How much otvejl thou unto my 
lord ? And he said, An hundred measu'^es 
cf oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, 
and Jit down quickly, and write fifty. 
Then said he to another. And how much 
owejl thou And he said. An hundred 
mea,surcs of xaheat. ^ And he said unto hwi. 



47 

Take thy bill, and write fourscore. And 
the Lord commend d the unjufi pcward, 
because he had done wisely : for the children 
of this world are zviser in their generation, 
than the children of light. The scope of 
our Lord's argument in this pallage, is 
apparently this : as a prudent thougV.t for 
futurity, and a fteady pursuit of those 
means which tend to prevent apprehended 
evils, though those means may not be ap- 
proved as lawful in themselves, are suffici- 
ent to demonftrate a person wise, with 
what earneft attention, and unremitting 
application, ought those who have eternity 
in view, to pursue the precepts of heaven- 
ly wisdom, and to make all leffer events 
subservient to the great end of obtaining 
eternal happiness : And I say unto you, 
added our great Redeemer, make to your-^ 
selves friends of the mammon of unrighteous- 
ness ; that, when ye fail, they may receive 
you into tverlafing habitations. 

The Pharisees, whose hearts were set 
upon the things of this world, and who 
had but very fueble and conirafted views 
of eternal things, derided this do6trine of 
our great Redeemer ; but he, after giving 
them a seasonable reproof, proceeded by a 
fi;riking and moft remarkable parable, to 
fhew the vanity of riches, and the Vuft im- 
portance of eternal things : Ihere was, said 
he, a ce7'tain rich man, which was clothed 
in purple and fine linen, una faudsumptU' 
oufly every day. And thei e was a certain 
beggar ?iam d Lazarus, which was laid at 
his gate, full of sores, and dtfii mg to be f d 
with the crumbs which J U Ji om the rich 
man stable: moreover the dogs came and 
licked his sores. And it came to pass, that 
the beggar died, and was cari zed by the 
ang' Is into nbrahanis bosom : the rich man 
also died, and was buried ; and in hell he 
lifted up his eyes, being m torments, and 
seeth Abraham ajar , and Lazarus in his 
bosom. And he cried and said. Father 
Abraham, have mercy on me, and send La- 
zarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger 
in water, and cool my tongue ; for J am 
tormented in this flame. But Abraham 
said, Son, remember that thou, in thy life- 
time, receivedfi thy good things, and like- 
wise Lazarus evil things : but now he n 
comforted, and thou art tormented. And 
bcfide all this , between vs and you, there is 
a great gulfh fixid: so that f hey xihick 



r 



148 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



would pass from hence to you cannot ; nei- 
ther can they pass to us, that would come 
from thence. Then he faid, I pray thee, 
therefore, father, that thou wouldejt fend 
him to my father's houfe ; for I have five 
brethren ; that he may tejiify unto them, leji 
they alfo come into this place of torment. Ab- 
raham faith unto him, they have Mqfes and 
the prophets; let them hear them. And he 
faid, I^ay, father Abraham ; but if one 
went unto thsm from the dead, they will re- 
pent. And he faid unto him, If they hear 
not Mofes and the prophets, neither will they 
be perfuaded, though one rofe from the 
dead. 

This parable is the mofl awful and 
alarming, and the moft fully demonftra- 
tive of the immortality of the soul, and 
it's exiftence in a separate flate, of any 
we meet with in the sacred volume : the 
imagery is so beautiful, and it is drawn in 
such lively colours, that it has rather been 
looked upon as an hiftory than a parable 
in all ages of the church ; many of the 
moft affefting, the moft awful and im- 
portant leflbns may be learned from it, and 
such sentiments are here displayed as are 
not to be found in any other part of the 
gospel. 

In the firft place, we may learn the 
Ihortness and uncertainty of the present 
ftate, and how little the attainment of vaft 
pofleffions, in this world, conduces to the 
beft intereft of mankind. We have here 
held up to our view, a rich man in all 
the grandeur, glory, and profufion of opu- 
lence, surrounded with all the honours, 
and partaking of all the pleasures which 
earth can give : The rich mans wealth, the 
wiseft of men informs us, is his frong 
city : and as an high wall in his own con- 
ceit. The rich man thinks that his riches 
entitles him to every honour, and to the 
participation of every thing which can be 
enjoyed : but how is he pained to find 
himself moft deplorably miftaken, when 
the mind, satiated with enjoyment, and 
surfeited with pleasure, grows fick of de- 
light : amidft the abundance of riches, 
the soul ftarves, it finds nothmg that is 
confiftent with it's spiritual nature, and 
would pine for want of solid enjoyment 
in the poflelhon of a whole material 
world. 



But how fhort and uncertain are those 
fickly joys, those surfeiting pleasures which 
the jrich man is able to partake of : The 
rich man, we are informed, died and was 
buried. The pomp and pageantry, the 
luxury and all the consequence in the 
world which riches give their poflcffor, 
will not enable him to face the great king 
of terrors. Death : and as the utmoft pro- 
fufion of riches, cannot enable their pos- 
scflbr to face the pale tyrant with com- 
posure, neither can they bribe him to one 
moment's delay ; No man hath power t» 
retain the fpirit in the day of death : the 
soul, all black and horrid with guilt, 
trembles at the approach of the eternal 
world, and with vaft amazement and terror, 
ftrives to evade the awful ftroke, but all 
in vain ; there is no discharge in that war : 
the case admits of no refusal or delay : the 
unhappy mortal falls, and all that his riches 
can do, is only to carry him with prodi- 
gious pomp and splendour to the grave. 

From this awf ul and affefting parable, 
we likewise learn the ftate of the dead, and 
the capacity of the separated soul to receive 
hapiness or misery before the resurrection 
of the body ; The rich man died, and was 
buried, we are informed, and what then ? 
Did he enter into reft, or did he remain in 
a ftate of insenfibility until the day of re- 
surrection ? Neither of these ; but m hell he 
lifted up his eyes. The unhappy mortal's 
pleasures and sensual gratifications are all 
paft ; and now, all naked, defenceless, and 
forlorn, he falls headlong into the depths of 
misery and woe: the black regions of hor- 
ror and despair are now his portion : he 
lies in inexpreffible torment, and, amidft 
these fiery regions, sees nothing but what 
tends to increase and aggravate his woes ; 
He If ted up his eyes, being in torments, and 
seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in 
his bosom. The poor beggar that lay at 
his gate all covered with sores, died and 
was buried, and in the duft loft all his 
meanness, and was equal to the richeft 
man on earth : there is no pre-eminence in 
the grave ; for the small and great are there ^ 
and the servant is free from his majier. But 
how great the difference between the poor- 
eft saint and the richeft finner; Lazarus, at 
his death, was carried by angels into Abra- 
ham's bosom, while the rich man descended 
into hell, and lifted up his eyes in torment. 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



Thus having reprimanded the Pharisees, 
he took occafion to speak of affronts and 
offences, described their evil nature, and 
their dreadful punifhment: Itis impojftble, 
said he, but that offences luill come : but icoe 
unto him through zvhom they come. It zoere 
better for him that a milljione zoere hanged 
about his neck, and he cafl into the sea, than 
that hejhould offend one of these little ones. 

Our Lord spake also againfl a quarrel- 
some temper in his servants, especially in 
the miniilers and teachers of religion, pre- 
scribed a seasonable and prudent repre- 
henfion of the fault, accompanied with 
forgiveness on the part of the person in- 
jured, as the befl means of disarming the 
temptations that may arise from thence : 
Take heed to yourselves : if thy brother tres- 
pass agahft thee, rebuke him; and if he 
repent, forgive him. And if he trespass 
againf thee seven times in a day, a/nd seven 
times in a day turn to thee, saying, I re- 
pent ; thou fJialt forgive him. 

This discourse on forgiveness, uttered 
at a time when the Pharisees had juft up- 
braided him, by calling him a false teacher, 
sufficiently proves how truly he forgave 
them all the personal injuries they had com- 



mitted againfl him ; and fhould be a pow- 
erful recommendation of that amiable vir- 
tue, the forgiveness of injuries. 

However beautiful these discourses of 
our Saviour appear, when examined with 
attention, they seem to have ffaggered the 
faith of his disciples and followers; per- 
haps they flill imagined, that he would 
fhortly ereft a temporal kingdom, and dis- 
tribute among them the rewards they ex- 
pefted f or their services. If so, they might 
well defire their Mafler to increafe their 
faith: as discourses like these had a very 
different tendency from what m:ght natu- 
rally have been expefted from one who 
was going to eftabhfhthe throne of David, 
and extend his sceptre over all the king- 
doms of the earth ; but however this be, 
our Saviour told them, that if they had 
the smallefl degree of true faith, it would 
be sufficient for overcoming all tempta- 
tions, even those, which seem as difficult 
to be conquered, as the plucking up trees 
and planting them in the ocean : If ye had 
faith as a grain of miflard seed, ye might 
say unto this sycamine-tree^ Be thou plucked 
up by the root, and be thou planted in the 
sea, audit fwuld obey you. Luke xvii. 6. 



CHAPTER XXV. 



The Sickness and Death of Lazarus : Jesus receives an account thereof: and, in his 
zvay to Bethany, he heals ten Lepers in a Village of Samaria : He arrives at Bethany, 
and raiseth Lazarus to Life, after he had been dead four days : Many Jews believe : 
The Pharisees hold a Council againfl Christ : Caiaphas prophefeth : Jesus rf- 
tireth to Ephraim, a City on the Borders of the Wilderness, where he /hevoeth the 
spiritual Nature of the Kingdom of God, foretelleth the Dejirudion of the Jezcifk 
State, and injiru^eth his Disciples concerning the Coming of the Son of Man, 
Jesus delivers the Parable of the unjufl Judge and importunate Widozu, and that 
of the Pharisee and the Publican: He anszvereth the Quefion of the Pharisees 
concerning Divorces: He receiveth the little Children -with Tenderness, that were 
brought unto him, and bleffeth them. 



SHORTLY after our bleffed Saviour 
had finifhed these discourses, one of 
his friends, named Lazarus, fell fick at 
Bethany, a village about two miles from 
Jerusalem, but at a great distance from the 
countries beyond Jordon, where Jesus was 
now preaching the gospel. The fillers of 
Lazarus, finding his lickness was of a dan- 
No. 7. 



gerous kind, thought proper to send an 
account of it to Jesus ; being firmly per- 
suaded, that he who had cured so many 
ftrangers, would readily come and gi\e 
health to one whom he loved in so tender 
a manner : Lord, said they, behold he zchom 
thou loveft isfick: they did not add, come 
down and heal him, miake hafte and save 
Oo 



150 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



him from the grave ; it was sufficient for 
them to propose their neceffities to their 
Lord, who was both able and willing to 
help them in their diftress. 

When Jesus heard that, he said. This 
Jickness is not unto death : words which 
were doubtless carried to Martha and 
Mary, and muft ftrangely surprise them, 
and exercise both theirs and his disciples 
faith ; fince it is probable, that before 
the meffenger arrived at Bethany, Lazarus 
had expired. Soon after, Jesus pofi- 
tively affured his disciples, that Lazarus 
was dead. 

St. Luke, in the beginning of his ac- 
count, tells us, that Jesus loved Martha, 
and her fifter, and Lazarus ; and that after 
he had received the melTa^e, he abode two 
days m the same place where he was. His 
defign in this might be to infinuate, that 
his lingering so long after the meflage 
came, did not proceed from a want of 
concern for his friends, but happened ac- 
cording to the counsels of his own wisdom : 
for the length of time which Lazarus lay 
in the grave, put his death beyond ail 
poffibility, of doubt, removed every suspi- 
cion of fraud, and consequently afforded 
Jesus a fit opportunity of displaying the 
love he bore to Lazarus, 'as well as his 
own almighty power, in his undoubted 
resurreftion from the dead. His fiflers, 
indeed, were by this means kept a while in 
painful anxiety, on account of their bro- 
ther's life, and at laft pierced by the sorrow 
of seeing him die : yet they muft surely 
think themselves abundantly recompensed, 
by the evidence accruing to the gospel 
from this aflonifhing miracle, as well as by 
the inrxpreffible surprise of joy they felt, 
when they again had their brother reftored 
from the dead. 

At the expiration of two days, Jesus 
said to his disciples, Let us go into judea 
again, John xi. 7. His disciples were 
aftonifhed at this proposal, and the recol- 
leftion of his late danger in that country 
alarmed them : Majler, said they, the Jews 
of late thought to Jlone thee ; and goeji thou 
thither agam? Wilt thou hazard thy life 
amongft those who defired nothing more 
than to find an opportunity of kiUing thee ? 
Jems answered. Are there not twelve hours 
in the day ? If any man walk in the day, 
he Jlumbleth not, because he seeth the light 



of this world : but if a man walk in the 
night, he fiumbleth, because there is no light 
in him. 

Thus he intended to inform his disciples, 
that they had no reason to fear, seeing his 
day M^as appointed, and the light of the 
Almighty was in him ; that he could not 
ftumble nor fall, before the night of his 
paffion approached, but that night was 
coming when no man could work. Jesus 
having thus removed their groundless ap- 
prehenfions, and flrengthened their faith, 
that he might clearly explain to them the 
cause of his going into Judea again, told 
them, Our friend Lazarus fieepeth; hut I 
go, that I may awake him out of Jlecp. The 
disciples underflanding his discourse in a 
literal sense, replied, Lord, ij he fleep , he 
fiall do well; his distemper is abated, and 
he in all probability is recovering. It 
would be, therefore, highly unreasonable 
in us to take two days journey only to 
awake him out of his fleep. Thus they 
covered their fears, and hinted to their 
Master, that it would be far safer to con- 
tinue where they were, than to take a haz- 
ardous journy into Judea. They were, 
however, mistaken ; for the evangelifl in- 
forms us, that he spake of his death, but 
they thought, that he had spoken of taking 
rejl in fecp. Jesus, therefore, to remove 
any doubts, said plainly to them, Lazarus 
is dead. And I am glad for your sakes, 
ihat I was not there, to the intent that you 
might believe : I am glad for your sakes, 
that I was not in Judea before he died ; 
for had I been there, and reflored him to 
his health, your faith in me, as the Meffiah, 
mufl have wanted the great confirmation 
it fhall now receive, by your beholding 
me raise him thus miraculoufly from the 
dead. 

Jesus Christ having thus given his 
disciples a proof of his divine knowledge, 
and of the defigns of Providence in the 
death of Lazarus, added, Nevertheless let 
us go unto him, Thus Jesus, who could 
have raised Lazarus without opening his 
lips, or riling from his seat, leaves his place 
of retirement beyond Jordan, and takes a 
long journey into Judea, where the Jews 
lately attempted to kill him ; because his 
being present in person, and raifing La- 
zarus again to life, before so many wit- 
neffes at Bethany, where he died, and was 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



so well known, would be the means of 
brincring the men of that, and of future 
acres, to believe in his doclnne, so well fitted 
to prepare them for a resurreftion to 
eternal life ; an admirable proof, as an 
emblem of which, he gave them in this 
miracle. 

Our Lord having thus declared his re- 
solution of returning into Judea, and Tho- 
mas conceiving nothing less than dellruc- 
tion from such a journey, yet unwilling to 
forsake his Mafter, said, Let us also go, 
that zi'e may die zcith him. Let us not 
forsake our Mafter in this dangerous jour- 
ney, but accompany him into Judea, that 
if the Jews, whose inveteracy we are well 
acquainted with, (hould take away his life, 
we may also die with him. 

This journey being thus resoKed on, 
Jesus departed with his disciples, and in 
his way to Bethany, paffed through -Sama- 
ria and Galilee : And as he entered into 
a certain village, there met hwi ten riien 
that were lepers, xchichjlood ajar off : and 
they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, 
Majler, have mercy on us. And when he 
saw them, he said unto them. Go Jhtw your- 
selves unto the priejfs. Audit came to pass, 
that as they went, Jihey were cleansed. Luke 
xvii. 12, &c. 

One of these miserable objefts, was a 
native of the country, who perceiving 
that his cure was completed, came back 
praifing God for the great mercy he had 
received ; he had before kept at a diftance 
from our Saviour, but being now senfible 
that he was entirely clean, approached his 
benefaftor, that all might have an oppor- 
tunity of beholding the miracle, and fell 
on his face at his feet, thanking him in the 
moft humble manner, for his condescen- 
fion in healing him of so terrible a disease. 
Jesus, in order to intimate, that those who 
were enlightened with the knowledge of 
the truth, ought, at leaft, to have fhewn as 
great a sense of piety and gratitude as this 
Samaritan, afked, Were there not ten 
cleansed, but where are the nine P There 
are not Jound that have returned to give 
glory to God, save this Jiranger. 

Our Saviour and his disciples now con- 
tinued their journey towards Btthany, 
where he was informed by seme of the inha- 
bitants of that village, that Lazarus was 
not only dead, as he had foretold, but had 



now lain in the grave four days. The af- 
flicted filters were overwhelmed with sor- 
row: so that many of the Jews from Jtrusa- 
lem, came to comfort them on the occafion. 

It appears, the news of our Lord's 
coming had reached Bethany before he 
arrived at that village ; for Martha, the 
fifter of Lazirus, being informed of his 
approach, went out and met him, but 
Mary who was of a more sedate and 
contemplative dispofition, sat Hill in the 
house. No sooner was fhe come into the 
presence of Jesus, than, in excess of grief, 
fhe p''ured forth her complaint: Lord, 
said fhe, if thou hadf been here my brotlier 
had not died. If thou hadft complied 
with the meffage we sent thee, I well knc;W 
that thy intereit from heaven had prevail- 
ed, my brother had been cured of his 
disease, and delivered from the dark 
chambers of death. 

Martha entertained a high opinion of 
cui Saviour's power; fhe believed that 
de ath did not dare to approach his pre- 
sence ; and, consequently, if Jesus had 
arrived at Bethany before her brother's 
diffolution, he had not fallen a viftim to 
the king of terrors : but imagined, that 
it was not in his power to heal the fick 
at a distance, though, at the same time, 
fhe seemed to have some dark and imper- 
fect h<'pes, that our blefTcd Lord would 
ftill do something for her: But I know , 
said fhe, that even now, whatsoever thou 
wilt ojk of God, God tvill give it thee. She 
thought that Jesus could obtain whatso- 
ever he defired by prayer, and, therefore, 
did not found her hopes on his power, but 
on the power of God, through his inter- 
ceffion. She doubtless knew, that the 
great Redeemer of mankind had raised the 
daughter of Jairus, and the widow's son of 
Nam, from the dead ; but seems to have 
confidered her brother's resurrection as 
much more difficult, because he had been 
longer dead. 

But our bleffed Saviour, who was willing 
to encourage this imperfeft faith of Martha, 
answered. Thy brother fiall rise again. As 
these words were delivered in an indefinite 
sense, with regard to time, Martha under- 
ftood them only as an argument of con- 
solation drawn from the general resurrec- 
tion, and accordingly answered, / knoxo 
that he fiall rise again at the resuiTcclicTL 



152 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



at the loft day. She was firmly persuaded 
of that important article of the Chriftian 
faith, the resurrection of the dead ; at which 
important hour fhe believed her brother 
would rise from the chambers of the duft. 
And here flie seems to have terminated all 
her hopes, not thinking that the Son of 
God would now call her brother from 
the fleep of death. Jesus, therefore, to 
inftru6l her in this great truth, replied, / 
am the resurrection, and the life. I am the 
author of the resurreftion, the fountain and 
giver of that life they fhall then receive ; 
and therefore can, with the same ease, 
raise the dead now as at the laft day : He 
that believeth in me, though he were dead, 
yet fhall he live : and whosoever liveth and 
believeth in me, fhall never die. Believefi 
thou this? To which Martha answered, 
Yea, Lord : I believe that thou art the Chrift, 
the Son oj God, which fhould come into the 
world. I believe that thou art the true 
MefTiah, so long promised by the prophets, 
and therefore believe fhou art capable of 
performing, by thy power, every thing thou 
art pleased to undertake. 

She now seemed to entertain some con- 
fused expeftations of her brother's imme- 
diate resurrection ; and leaving Jesus in 
the field, ran and called her filler, accord- 
ing to his order, being willing that both 
Mary and her companions fhould be wit- 
nelTes of this great miracle. 

Mary, accordingly, no sooner heard that 
Jesus was come, than fhe immediately 
left her Jewifh comforters, who only in- 
creased the weight of her grief, and flew 
to her Saviour : and the Jews, who sus- 
pe6led fhe was going to weep over the 
grave of her brother, followed her to that 
great pophet, who was going to remove 
all her sorrows. Thus the Jews who came 
from Jerusalem to comfort the two mourn- 
ful fillers, were brought to the grave of 
Lazarus, and made witneffcs of his resur- 
reftion. 

Mary having approached the great Re- 
deemer of mankind, fell proflrate at his 
feet, and in a flood of tears poured out 
her complaint. Lord, if thou hadjt been 
here, my brother had not died. No wonder 
the compalfionate Jesus was moved at so 
affefting a scene : on this fide flood Mar- 
tha pouring forth a flood of tears, at his 
feet lay the affedionate Mary, wee|)ing and 



lamenting her dear departed brother; while 
the Jews, who came to comfort the affli6i;ed 
fifters, unable to confine their grief, joined 
the solemn morning, and mixed their 
friendly tears in witness of their love for 
the departed Lazarus, and in teflimony to 
the juflice of the fiflers grief, for the loss 
of so amiable, so deserving a brother. Je- 
sus could not behold the affliftion of the 
two fifters and their friends, without hav- 
ing a fhare in it himself ; his heart was 
melted at the mournful scene, he groaned 
in spirit, and was troubled. 

However, to keep them no longer in 
suspense, he afked them, where they had 
buried Lazarus ; not that he was ignorant 
where the body of the deceased was laid : 
he who knew that he was dead, when so 
far diftant from him, and could raise him 
up by a fingle word, muft know where his 
remains were depofited : to which they 
answered. Lord come and see. The Son 
of God, now to prove that he was not only 
God, but a moft compaffionate man, and 
to fhew us, that the tender affeftions of a 
human heart, when kept in due bounds ; 
that friendly sorrow, when not immode- 
rate, and direfted to proper ends, is con- 
fiftent with the highefl sanftity of the soul, 
joined in the general mourning : he wept, 
even at the time that he was going to give 
the moft ample proof of his almighty 
power. 

Thus the Jews were convinced that he 
loved Lazarus exceedingly ; but some of 
them interpreted this circumftance to his 
disadvantage : for according to their mean 
way of judging, they fancied that he had 
suffered him to fall by the ftroke of death, 
for no other reason in the world, but for 
want of power to rescue him. And think- 
ing the miracle, said to have been wrought 
on the blind men at the feaft of taber- 
nacles, at leaft as difficult as the curing an 
acute diftemper, they called the former in 
queftion, because the latter had been ne- 
glefted : Could not this man, said they, 
which opened the eyes of the blind, have 
caused that even this man fhould not have 
died ? 

But Jesus took no notice of their ques- 
tions ; but grieving at the hardness of 
their heart, and blindness of their infide- 
lity, groaned again within himself, as he 
walked towards the sepulchre of the dead. 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



153 



At his coming to the grave, he said. Take 
ye away the Jtone. To which Martha an- 
swered, Lord, by this time he Jlinketh ; for 
he hath been dead four days : or, as the 
paflage may be better rendered, hath lain 
m the grave four days. She meant to in- 
finuate that her brother's resurretlion was I 
not now to be expefted. But Jesus gave I 
her a solemn reproof, to teach her that 
there was nothing impoffible with God ; 
and that the power of the Almighty is not 
to be circumscribed within the narrow 
bounds of human reason. Said I not unto 
thee, that, if thou wouLdeJl believe, thou 
fhouldejt see the glory of God ? 

Martha's objedions being thus obviated, 
ftie with the reft, waited the great event 
in filence ; and in pursuance of the com- 
mand of the Son of God, took away the 
ftone from the place where the dead was 
laid. Jesus had, on many occafions, 
publicly appealed to his own miracles, as 
the proofs of his miffion, though he did 
not generally make a formal address to 
his Father before he worked this miracle ; 
but being now to raise Lazarus from the 
dead, he prayed for his resurreftion, to 
convince the spe6lators that it could not 
be effefted, without an immediate interpo- 
lition of the divine power : Father, said he, 
/ thank thee, that thou hajl heard me ; and 
I knew that thou haji heard me ; and I knew 
that thou hear eft me always : but because of 
the people which Jland by, I said it, that 
they may believe that thou haft sent me : I en- 
tertained no doubt of thy empowering me 
to do this miracle, and therefore, did not 
pray for my own sake ; I well knew that 
thou hearell me always : I prayed for the 
sake of the people, to convince them that 
thou loveftme, haft sent me, and art con- 
tinually owning the work I am come to 
do. 

Having returned thanks to his Father, 
for this opportunity of displaying his glory, 
He cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come 
forth. This loud and efficacious call of 
the Son of God, awakened the dead ; the 
breathless clay was inftantly re-animated, 
and he who had lain four days in the 
chambers of the tomb, obeyed immediately 
the powerful sound : And he that was dead 
came forth, bound hand and foot with grave- 
cloths ; and his face was bound about with 
a napkin : Jesus saith unto them, Loose 
No. 7. 



him, and let him go. It would have been 
the leaft part of the miracle, had Jesus, 
by his powerful word, unloosed the nap- 
kins wherewith Lazarus was bound ; but 
he brought him out Jn the same manner 
he was lying, and ordered the speftators 
to loose him, that they might be better 
convinced of the miracle : for, in taking 
off the grave clothes, they had the fulleft 
evidence both of his death and resurreftion. 
As, on the one hand, the manner which 
he was swathed, muft soon have killed 
him, had he been alive when buried ; and 
consequently demonftrated, beyond all ex- 
ception, that Lazarus had been dead seve-^ 
ral days, before Jesus called him again 
to life. 

Befides, in ftripping him, the linen 
offered, both to their eyes and smell, abun- 
dant proofs of his putrefaftion ; and, by 
that means, convinced them that he had 
not been in a trance, but was really dead ; 
on the other hand, by his lively counte- 
nance appearing, when the napkin was re- 
moved, his frefti colour, and his aftive 
vigour, they who came near and handled 
him, muft be convinced, that he was in. 
perfe6l health, and had an opportunity 
of proving the truth of the miracle, by 
the closeft examination. There is some- 
thing extremely beautiful in our Lord's 
behaviour on this occafion ; he did not 
utter one upbraiding word, either to the 
doubting fifters, or the malicious Jews, 
nor did he let fall one word of triumph or 
exultation : Loose him, and let him go, 
were the only words we have recorded : he 
was in this, as on all other occafions, con- 
fiftent with himself, a pattern of perfe6l 
humility and self-denial. 

Such was the blefled work wrought by 
the Son of God at Bethany. And in the 
resurreftion of Lazarus, thus corrupted, 
and thus raised by the powerful call of 
Jesus, we have a ftriking emblem, and a 
glorious earneft of the resurreftion of our 
bodies from the grave at the laft day ; when 
the same powerful mandate, which spoke 
Lazarus again into being, ftiall coUeft the 
scattered particles of our bodies, and raise 
them to life. 

So astoniftiing a miracle performed in 
the neighbourhood of Jerusalem, before a 
multitude of speftators, many of them his 
enemies, could not fail of being the com* 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



raon topic of conversation, and of pro- 
ducing different effefts upon different per- 
sons. Many believed that Jesus could be 
no other than the great Mefliah so long 
promised ; while others, who ftill expe6led 
a temporal prince, and therefore unwilling 
to acknowledge him for their Saviour, 
were filled with indignation, particularly 
the chief priefts and elders. But this mi- 
racle, as well as all the reft he had wrought 
in confirmation of his miflion, was too evi- 
dent to be denied ; and, therefore, they 
pretended that his whole intention was 
to eftablifti a new se6l in religion, which 
would endanger both their church and na- 
tion : Then gathered the chief priejis and 
the Pharisees a council, and said. What do 
we ? for this man doth many miracles. If we 
let him thus alone, all men will believe on 
him ; and the Romans fhall come and take 
O/way both our place and nation. 

The common people aftoniflied at his 
miracles, will, if we do not take care to 
prevent it, certainly set him up for the 
Meffiah ; and the Romans, under pretence 
of a rebellion, will deprive us both of our 
liberty and religion. Accordingly, they 
came to a resolution to put him to death : 
this resolution was not, however, unani- 
mous ; for Nicodemus, Joseph of Arima- 
thea, and other disciples of our Saviour, 
then members of the council, urged the 
injuftice of what they proposed to do, 
from the confideration of his miracles 
and innocence : but Caiaphas the high 
prieft, from a principle of human policy, 
told them, that the nature of goverment 
. often required certain afts of injuftice, in 
order to procure the safety of the ftate : Ye 
know nothing at all, nor confder that it is 
expedient for us, that one man Jliould die 
for the people, and that the whole nation 
perifh not. 

I'he council now having determined to 
put Jesus to death, deliberated, for the 
future, only upon the bsft methods of ef- 
fefting it ; and, in all likelihood, agreed 
to iffue a proclamation, promifing a re- 
ward to any person who would deliver him 
into their hands. For this reason, our bles- 
sed Savior did not now go up to Jerusa- 
lem though he was within two miles of 
it ; but returned to Ephraim, a city on 
the borders of the wilderness, where he 
abode with his disciples, being unwilling to 



go too far into the country, because the 
paflbver, at which he was to suffer, was at 
hand. 

While our Lord abode in Ephraim, the 
Pharisees afked him, when the kingdom of 
the Mefliah was to begin. We have more 
than once observed, that the Jews had 
very grand ideas of the kingdom they ex- 
pefted this great Son of David would efta- 
blifti, the number of his subjefts, the 
ftrength of his armies, and the pomp and 
magnificence of his court. It is therefore 
no wonder, that they were very defirous of 
having that empire speedily erefted : but 
our Saviour, to correct this miftaken no- 
tion, told them, that the Meftiah's king- 
dom did not confift in any external pomp 
of government, ere6led in some particular 
country, by the terror of arms, and deso- 
lation of war ; but in the subje6lion of 
the minds of men, and in rendering them 
conformable to the laws of the Almighty, 
which was to be effefted by a new dispen- 
sation of religion, and this dispensation was 
already begun. It was therefore needless 
for them to seek in this or that place for 
the kingdom of God, as it had been al- 
ready preached among them by Christ 
and his apoftlcs, and confirmed by innu- 
merable miracles : The kingdom of God, said 
he, Cometh not with observation : neither 
fhall they say, Lo here ! or, Lo there ! fori 
behold, the kingdom of God is within you, 
Luke xvii. 20, &c. 

Soon after speaking these words to the 
Pharisees, he addrefled himself to his dis- 
ciples, and, in the hearing of the people^ 
prophefied the deftru6lion of the Jewifti 
ftate : whose conftitution, both religious 
and civil, was the chief difficulty that op- 
posed the ereftion of his kingdom : but 
because love and compafTion were eminent 
parts of our Saviours temper, he men- 
tioned that dreadful cataftrophe in such a 
manner, as might tend to the reformation 
and profit of liis hearers. He informed 
them, that the prelude to this final deftruc- 
tion would be an universal diftress ; when 
they fhould paffionately wifh for the per- 
sonal presence of the Meffiah to comfort 
them, but would be denied their rcqueft : 
The days will come, when ye fiall defire to 
see one of the days oj the Son of man, knd 
ye fiall not see it. He next cautioned 
them againft deceivers, which in this time 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



^55 



of affliftion, would endeavour to draw the 
people after them, in order to support 
their own power : And they Jh.all say to 
you, See here ; or, see th';re : go not after 
them, nor follow them. For as the lighten- 
ing that lighteneth o ut of the one part under 
heaven, Jhmeth unto the other part under 
heaven ; so Jhall also the Son oj man be in 
his day. But firjt mujl he suffer many things, 
dnd be rejeded of this generation. 

But the coming of the Son of man fhall 
be sudden and unexpefted : he will come 
in his own ftrength, and with great power ; 
he will throw down all oppofition, deltroy 
his enemies with swift deftruftion, and 
eftablifh his religion and government in a 
great part of the world, as suddenly as 
lightening darts from one part of the hea- 
ven to the other : but before these things 
come to pass, he muft suffer many things, 
and be rejefted of this generation. 

And, notwithftanding this sudden de- 
ftruftion and calamity that was to over- 
whelm the J.'^ws, he told them their ftupidi- 
ty would be like that of the old world, at 
the time of the deluge, or that of Sodom 
before the city was deftroyed : And as it 
was in thi days of Noe, so fhall it be also in 
the days of the Son of man. They did eat, 
they drank, they married wives, they were 
given in marriage, until the day that Noe 
entered into the ark, and the flood came and 
dejlroyed them all. Likewise also as it was 
in the days of Lot ; they did eat, they drank, 
they bought, they sold, they planted, they 
builded : but the same day that Lot went 
out of Sodom, it rained fire and hrimflone 
from heaven, and dejlroyed them all. Even 
thus fhall it be in the day when the Son of 
man is revealed. In that day, he which 
fhall be upon the house-top, and his fluff in 
the house, let him not come down to take it 
away : and he that is in the field, let him like- 
wise not return back. Remember Lot's wife. 

A better example than that of Lot's 
wife could not have been produced : for if 
any of his hearers, through an immoderate 
love of the world, fhould be prevailed on, 
in order to save their goods, after they 
were admonifhed from heaven of their 
danger, by the figns which prognofticated 
the defl;ru6lion of Jerusalem ; or if any of 
them, through want of faith, Ihould think, 
that the calamities predifted to fall on the 
nation, would not be either so great or 



sudden as he had declared, and did not 
use the precaution of a speedy flight ; they 
might behold in Lot's wife, an example 
both of their fin, and of their punilhment: 
he added, that those who endeavoured to 
save their lives, by flying into the city, 
fhould meet the deflru6lion they were en- 
deavouring to avoid ; whereas, those who 
retired into the open towns and defenceless 
villages, fhould be safe: Whosoeiier fhall 
seek to save his life, fhall lose it ; and who- 
soever fhall lose his life, fiall preserve it. 

Our Bleffed Lord, after making these 
prediftions, spake the following parable, 
in order to excite them to a conftant per- 
severance in prayer, and not to be so weary 
and faint in their minds, as to ncgle6l this 
neceffary duty. 

There was in a city, said our Lord, a 
judge, who, being governed by atheifiical 
principles, had no regard to the precepts 
of religion ; and, being vtry powerful, did 
not regard what was said of him by man : 
so that all his decifions were influenced 
merely by pafTion or intereft. In the same 
city was also a widow, who, having no 
friends to affift her, was absolutely unable 
to defend herself from injuries, or procure 
redress for any fhc had received. In this 
deplorable iituation, Ihe had recourse to 
the unjufl judge, in order to obtain satis- 
faftion for some oppreffive wrong ihe had 
lately received : but the judge was so aban- 
doned to pleasure, that he refused, for a 
time, to liften to her requefl ; he would 
not give himself the trouble to examine 
her case, though the crying injuftice plead- 
ed so powerfully for this diflreffed widow. 
She was not, however, intimidated by his 
refusal : fhe ineeffantly importuned him, 
till, by repeated representations of her 
diftress, fhe filled his mind with such dis- 
pleafing ideas, that he was obliged to do 
herjuflice, merely to free himself from her 
importunity : Though, said he to himself, 
/ fear not God, nor regard man ; yet, 
because this widow troubleth me, I will 
avenge her ; left, by her continual coming, 
fie weary me. 

The sentiment, conveyed by our bleffed 
Lord in this parable, is very beautiful : we 
hence learn, that the cries of the afflifted 
will, by being ineeffantly repeated, make 
an impreffion, even cn the ftony hearts of 
wicked men, who glory in their impiety, 



156 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



and laugh at all the pfecepts of juftice, 
virtue, and religion ; and therefore, can- 
not fail of being regarded by the benevo- 
lent Father of the universe, who will liften 
to the petitons of his faithful servants, and 
pour on them the choiceft of his blefTings. 
Hear, said our gracious Lord, what the 
unjiffi judge satth. And JItall not God 
avenge his own eleEl, which cry day and 
night unto him, though he hear long with 
them ? I tell you, that he will avenge them 
speedily. Arguments of this kind, taken 
from the feeble goodness, or even from 
the imperfections of men, to illuftrate the 
superior and infinite perfections of the 
Almighty, were often made use of by the 
tlefP'd Jesus, and with great success in 
working the conviftion defigned. It was 
indeed hardly polTible to withftand such 
powerful appeals ; they force their way 
direftly into men's hearts, bear down all 
oppofition. and make a lafting imprelTion 
on men's minds. 

Our bleffed Lord having thus enforced 
the duty of prayer, in this expreffive para- 
ble, afked the following appofite queftion, 
Nevertheless, when the Son of man cometh, 
fliall he find faith on the earth? As if he 
had said, notwithftanding all the miracles I 
have wrought, and the excellent do6lrines 
I have delivered, (hall I find at my second 
coming, the faith among the children of 
men, there is reason to expeft ? Will 
not moft of them be found to have 
abandoned the faith, and wantonly afk 
Where is the promise oj his coming ? 

Our Lord having delivered these dis- 
courses he next addreffed himself to those 
who were righteous in their own conceit, 
and despised others : but as these particu- 
lars are better illuftrated by their oppofites, 
he placed the charafter of this species of 
men, in oppofition to those of the humble, 
describing the reception each class met 
with from the Almighty, in the parable 
of the Pharisee and publican, who went up 
together to the temple at the time when the 
sacrifice was offered, to direft their petitions 
to the God of their fathers. 

The Pharisee, having a great opinion of 
his own righteousness, went far into the 
court of the temple, that he might be as 
near the place of divine refidence as 
poffible , here he offered his prayer, giving 
God the praise of his supposed righteous- 



ness ; and had he been poffeffed of any, he 
would have afted properly : God, said he, 
/ thank thee, that I am not as other men 
are, extortioners, unjufi, adulterers, or even 
as this publican. If aft twice in the week, 
1 give tithes of all that I poffess. Having 
thus commended himself to God, he wrap- 
ped himself up in his own righteousness, 
and giving the poor publican a scornful 
look, walked away, perhaps, to transgress 
some of the weighter matters of the law, 
judgment, juftice, and truth, and to de- 
vour the houses of diftreffed widows and 
helpless orphans. But how different was 
the behavior of the humble publican ! Im- 
preffed with a deep sense of his own unwor- 
thiness, he would not even enter the courts 
of the temple, but ftanding afar off, he 
smote upon his breft, and in the bitterness 
of his soul, earneftly implored the mercy 
of Omnipotence: And the publican, fi;and- 
ing afar off, would not lift up so much as 
his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his 
hreaft, saying, God^ be murciful to me a 
finner. 

Our bleffed Lord added, I tell you, how- 
ever ye may judge from external appear- 
ances, and whatever preference ye may 
give to this haughty Pharisee ; I, who know 
and see the heart, declare unto you, that 
the publican retired from the temple ac- 
cepted by his God, and bleffed with the 
mercy which he implored, while the proud 
Pharisee was disregarded. 

The present parable sufficiently indicates, 
that all the sons of men ftand in need of 
mercy ; both the ftrift Pharisee and the 
despised publican, with the whole race of 
mankind, are finners ; and consequently 
all muff implore pardon of their benevo- 
lent Creator : we muff all ascend to the 
temple, and there pour forth our prayers 
before the throne of grace ; for there he 
has promised ever to be present, to grant 
the petitions of all who afk with fincerity 
and truth. 

These parables were spoken in the town 
of Ephraim ; and during our Lord's con- 
tinuance in that city, the Pharisees alked 
him. Whether he thought it lawful for a 
man to put away his wife for every cause ? 
Our Saviour had twice before declared his 
opinion of this particular, once in Galilee, 
and once in Perea ; it is therefore probable, 
that the Pharisees were not ignorant of his 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



157 



sentiments, and that they afked the queflion 
then, to find an opportunity of inceniing 
the people againft him, well knowing that 
the Israelites held the liberty which the 
law gave them of divorcing their wives as 
one of their chief privileges : but however 
that be, Jesus was far from fearing the 
popular resentment, and accordingly de- 
clared the third time againfl arbitraty 
divorces. The Pharisees then afked him, 
why they were commanded by Moses to 
give a writing of devorcement, and to put 
her away ? Infmuating, that Moses was so 
tender of their happiness, that he gave them 
liberty of putting away their wives, when 
they saw occafion. To which Jesus an- 
swered, Because of the hardness of your 
hearts, Moses suffered you to put aicay 
your wives ; but from the beginning it ivas 
not so : as unlimited divorces were not 
permitted in the flate of innocence, so 
neither fhall they be under the gospel-dis- 
pensation.. And I say unto you, Whosoever 
fliall put away his wije, except it be for 
fornication, and JJiall marry another, com- 
mitteth adultery : and whoso marrieth her 
which IS put away, doth commit adultery. 

At which decifion the disciples were 
greatly surprised ; and though they held 
their peace while the Pharisees were pre- 
sent, yet they did not fail to alk our Lord 
the reason on which he founded his deter- 
mination, when they were returned home : 
And in the house his disciples afked him 
again of the same matter. And he saith 
unto them. Whosoever fhall put away his 
wife, and marry another, committeth adultery 
againji her. And if a woman fall put azvay 
her hvfand, and be married to another, fhe 
committeth adultery^ 
No. 7. 



Unlimited divorces being prevalent 
among the Jews, gave great encourage- 
ment to family quarrels, were very deflruc- 
tive of happiness, and hindrcd the edu- 
cation of their tender offspring ; befides, 
it greatly tended to make their children 
lose that reverence for them which is due 
to parents, as it was hardly poilible for the 
children to avoid engaging in the quarrel. 
Our Saviour's prohibition, therefore, of 
these divorces is founded on the ftrongefl 
reasons, and greatly tends to promote the 
welfare of society. 

Our Lord having, in the course of his 
miniftry, performed innumerable cures in 
different parts of the country, several 
persons thinking, perhaps, that his power 
would be as great in preventing as in re- 
moving diflempers, brought their children 
to him, defiring that he would put his 
hands upon them and bless them. The 
disciples, however, miflaking the intention, 
were angry with the persons, and rebuked 
them for endeavouring to give this trouble 
to their mafler. But Jesus no sooner saw 
it, than he was greatly displeased with his 
disciples, and ordered them not to hinder 
parents from bringing their children to 
him : Suffer little children to come unto me, 
and forbid them not ; Jor of such is the 
kingdom oj God. That is, the church mi- 
litant on earth, and that triumphant in 
heaven, are composed of persons who re- 
semble little children in humility and meek- 
ness. Accordingly, taking them up in his 
arms, he bleffed them with his usual bene« 
volence. 



O 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



CHAPTER XXVI. 



Christ departs from Ephraim, and, in his Journey to Jerusalem by the Way of 
Jericho, he inJiruBeth a young Man how to attain eternal Life, md how to become 
perfect : He fieweth how hard it is for a rich Man to enter into the Kingdom of 
God: and promiseth great Rewards to his Disciples, and to all who have forsaken 
ought to follow him : He delivers the Parable of the Labourers who were hired at 
different Hours to work in the Vineyard : He fortellcth his own Death and Resur- 
redion ; andputteth by the ambitious Suit of the Sons of Zebedee, 



THE time of our dear Lord's paflTion 
drawing near, he departed from 
Ephraim, and repaired by the way of Je- 
richo, towards Jerusalem : but before he 
arrived at Jericho, a ruler of the synagogue 
came running to him, and kneeling down 
before him, afked him. Good mafler, what 
good thing /hall I do, that I may have 
eternal life ? Mat. xix. 16. Though this 
young ruler pretended to pay great honour 
to our dear Redeemer, yet the whole was no 
more than a piece of hypocrisy : for though 
he ftyled \\\mgood, yet he did not believe 
that he was sent from God, as sufficiently 
appears from his refufing to observe the 
counsel given him by Jesus; nor could 
his artful infinuations escape the piercing 
eye of the great Saviour of the world ; he 
well knew his secret intentions, and beheld 
the inmofl receffes of his soul ; and accord- 
ingly rebuked him for his hypocritical 
address, before he answered his queflion : 
Why calleji thou me good ? There is none 
good but one, that is, God. But as he had 
defired the advice of our bleffed Saviour, 
who never refused it to any of the sons of 
men, he readily answered his queflion, by 
telling him, that he muft observe all the 
moral precepts of the law ; there being a 
neceffary conneftion between the duties of 
piety towards the Almighty, and of juflice 
and temperance towards men, the latter of 
which were much more difficult to coun- 
terfeit than the former ; If thou wilt enter 
into life, keep the commandments. He saith 
unto him, Which ? Jesus said, Thou fialt 
do no murder. Thou fialt not commit adulte- 
ry. Thou fialt not fieal, Ihou fhalt not 
bear false witness. Honour thy father and 
thy mother ; and. Thou fhalt love thy neigh- 
bour as thyself. The young man saith unto 



him. All these things have I kept from my 
youth up : what lack I yet ? 

These commandments were, doubtless, 
underflood by the young ruler, in the 
vague sense put upon them by the do6lors 
and interpreters of the law ; and, therefore, 
the charaftcr he here gave of himself might 
be very jufl : for though he was far from 
being a person of true probity and virtue, 
he might have appeared, in the fight of 
men, as a person of of a very fair charafter: 
and having maintained that character, not- 
withftanding his great riches, he certainly 
deserved commendation ; and therefore, 
might be loved by that benevolent person 
who left the bosom of his Father, to redeem; 
lost mankind : but he was, at the same 
time, very faulty with regard to his love of 
sensual pleasures, a fm which might have 
escaped even his own observation, though 
it could not escape the all-seeing eye of 
the Son of God. Our bleffed Saviour, 
therefore, willing to make him senfible of 
this secret defire of poffeffmg the riches of 
this world, told him, that if he aimed at 
perfe6lion, he fhould diffribute his poffes- 
sions among the poor and indigent, and 
become his disciple : If thou wilt beperfcEl^ 
go and sell that thou haft, and give to the 
poor, and thou fhalt have treasure in heav- 
en : and come and follow me. 

The young man did^ipt expert this con- 
dition, he was aflonifhed at it, and, with- 
out making the leafl reply, retired, filled 
with sorrow, being very unwilling to part 
with his large eftates : But when the young 
man heard that saying, he went away sor- 
rowful : for he had great poffeffions. 

The pernicious influence of riches over 
the minds of the children of men, being 
thus melancholy inffanced, our bleffed Sa- 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



159 



viour cautioned his disciples againft fixing 
their minds on things of such dangerous 
tendency, by fhewing how very difficult it 
was for a rich man to procure an habi- 
tation in the region of eternal happiness : 
Verily, I say unto you, That a rich man 

Jhall hardly enter into the kingdom of hea- 
ven. And again I say unto you, It is eafier 

for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, 
than for a rich man to enter into the king- 
dom of God. When his disciples heard it, 
they were exceedingly amazed, saying. Who 
then can be saved ? But Jesus beheld them, 
and said unto them, With men this is 
impofjible ; but with God all things are 

pofjible. 

By this it appears, that if man be not 
affifted by the grace of God, it will be 
impoffible for him to obtain the happy re- 
wards of the kingdom of heaven ; but, by 
the affiftance of grace, which the Almighty 
never refuses to those who seek it with their 
whole heart, it is very poffible. 

But the disciples of our blelfed Lord 
were far from being satisfied with this an- 
swer, as they had, doubtless, often refle6led 
with pleasure on the high pofts they were 
to enjoy in their Mafter's kingdom. Peter 
seems particularly to have been disap- 
pointed ; and therefore addrelTed his Mas- 
ter in the name of the reft, begging him 
to remember, that his apoftles had aftually 
done what the young man had refused : 
they had abandoned their relations, their 
friends, their poIfefTions, and their em- 
ployments, on his account : and, there- 
fore, defired to know what reward they 
were to expe6l, for thefe inflances of their 
obedience. To which Jesus replied, 
That they fhould not fail of a reward, even 
in this life : for immediately after his res- 
urreftion, when he ascended to his Father, 
and entered on his mediatorial office, they 
fhould be advanced to the honor of judg- 
ing the twelve tribes of Israel ; that is, 
of ruling the church of Christ, which 
they were to plant in different parts of the 
earth : Verily, I say unto you. That ye 
"which have follozced me in the regeneration, 
when the Son of man fhall ft on the throne 
of his glory, ye also fall ft upon tzvelve 
thrones, judging the tzcelve tribes of Is- 
rael. 

Our Lord having given this answer to 
Peter, he next mentioned the rewards his 



other disciples fhould receive, both in this 
world, and in that which is to come : they, 
said he, who have forsaken all for my sake, 
fhall be no loosers in the end : their benev- 
olent Father, who intends to give them 
poffeffions in the heavenly Canaan, will 
not fail to support them, during their 
long and painful journey to that happy 
country, and raise them up friends who 
ffiall affift them with thofe neceffaries they 
might have expe6led from their relations, 
had they not left them for my fake. Di- 
vine Providence will take care that they 
have every thing valuable that can be giv- 
en them by their relations, or they could 
defire from large pofTefTions : they ffiall, 
indeed, be fed with the bread of sorrow^ 
but this ffiall produce joys, to which all 
the earthly pleasures bear no proportion ; 
and, in the end, obtain everlafling life : 
they ffiall leave this vale of tears, with all 
its pains and sorrows, behind them, and 
fly to the bofom of their Almighty Father, 
the fountain of life and joy, where, for 
all the sufferings they have undergone in 
this world, they ffiall be infinitely reward- 
ed. 

According to this, many who are by 
their fellow-mortals, confidered as the lafl 
of mankind, because of their sufferings, 
self-denials, and mortifications, ffiall be 
really firfl, not only in point of future 
reward, but even with regard to present 
satisfa6lion : But many that are firfi fhall 
be lafi ; and the laf fhall be firfi. 

It seems these words were spoken to 
keep the disciples humble, as, in all pro- 
bability, they at firfi underflood the pro- 
mise of their fitting on twelve thrones in 
a natural sense ; so they were ready to con- 
flrue every expreffion to a temporal king- 
dom, which they flill expe6led their Mafler 
would ereft upon earth. Our bleffed Lord, 
therefore, to remove all thoughts they 
might entertain of this kind, told them, 
that though he had described the rewards 
they were to expe6l for the ready obedience 
they had ffiewn to his commands, and the 
pains they were to take in propagating the 
gospel amongfl the children of men ; yet 
these rewards were spiritual, and not con- 
fined to the Jews alone, but extended also 
to the Gentiles, who in point of time, fhould 
excel the Jews, and universallv embrace the 
gospel before that nation was converted. 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



. 160 

Our great Redeemer illuftrated this doc- 
trine with the parable of the householder, 
who, at different hours of the day, hired 
labourers to work in his vineyard ; The 
kingdom of heaven, says ourbleffed Saviour, 
is like unto a man that is an householder, 
Tjohich went out early in the morning, to hire 
labourers into his vineyard. And when he 
had agreed with the labourers for a penny 
a-day, he sent them into his vineyard. And 
he went out about the third hour, and saw 
others Jtanding idle in the market-place, and 
said unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard, 
and whatsoever is right, I will give you. 
And they went their way. Again he went 
out about the Jixth and ninth hour, and did 
likewise. And about the eleventh hour he 
went out, and found others /landing idle, 
and saith unto them. Why flandye here all 
the day idle? Ihey say unto him, Becaufe 
no man hath hired us. He saith unto them. 
Go ye also into the vineyard ; and whatso- 
ever is right, that fkall ye receive. So, when 
even was come, the lord of the vineyard said 
unto his feward, Call the labourers, and 
give them their hire, beginning from the 
lafi unto the firji. And when they came 
that zvere hired about the eleventh hour, they 
received every man a penny. But when the 
firfl came, they supposed that they fhould 
have received more ; and ihey likewise re- 
ceived every man a penny. And when they 
had received it, they murmured againfl the 
good man of the house, saying. These lafi 
have wrought but one hour, and thou hafi 
made them equal unto us, which have home 
the burden and heat of the day. But he an- 
szuered one oj them, and said, Friend, 1 do 
thee no wrong : didft not thou agree with 
me for a penny ? Take that thine is, and 
go thy way : I will give unto this lafi, even 
as unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do 
what I will with mine own ? Is thine eye 
evil, because I am good ? So the la/l /hall 
be firfi, and the jirfi lajl : for many be 
called, but few chosen Matt. xx. 1 — 16. 

Our blefled Saviour delivered the parable 
of the householder in such a manner, as, 
from the application he has made of it, it 
would not be difficult to interrupt it. The 
dispensations of religion, which God gave 
to mankind in different parts of the world, 
are represented by the vineyard : the Jews, 
who were early members of the true church, 
and obliged to obey the law of Moses, are 



the labourers which the householder hired 
early in the morning : the Gentiles, who 
were converted at several times, by the 
various interpofitions of Providence, to 
the knowledge and worfhip of the true 
God, are the labourers hired at the third, 
fixth, and ninth hour : and the invitation 
given at the eleventh hour, implies the 
calling of the Gentiles in every country, 
to live pioully and virtuoufly. The law of 
Moses was a heavy yoke ; and, therefore, 
the obedience to it's precepts was very 
elegantly represented, by bearing the heat 
and burden of the whole day : but the 
proselyted Gentiles paid obedience only to 
some particular precepts of the law, bore 
but part of it's weight, and were, therefore, 
represented by those who were hired at the 
third, fixth, and ninth hours ; while those 
Heathens, who regulated their condu6l by 
the law of nature only, and efteemed the 
works of juftice, piety, temperance, and 
charity, as their whole duty, are beautifully 
represented as labouring in the cool of the 
evening only one hour. 

The time being come when each labourer 
was to receive his wages, they were all 
placed on an equal footing ; these rewards 
being the privileges and advantages of 
the gospel. The Jews, who had borne 
the grievous yoke of the Mosaic ceremo- 
nies, murmured when they found the Gen- 
tiles were admitted to it's privileges, with- 
out being subjeft to their ceremonial 
worfhip: but we muft not urge the cir- 
cumftance of the reward, so far as to fancy 
that either Jews or Gentiles merited the 
bleffmgs of the gospel, by their having la- 
boured faithfully in the vineyard, or having 
behaved well under their several dispensa- 
tions. The gospel with it's bleffmgs, was 
beftowed entirely by the free grace of God, 
and without any thing in men to merit it : 
befides, it was offered promiscuoufly to all, 
whether good or bad, and was embraced 
by persons of all charafter. The conclu- 
fien of the parable deserves our utmoft 
attention ; we fhould often meditate upon 
it, and take care to make our calling and 
eledion sure. 

Our Lord having finifhed these dis- 
courses, he continued his journey towards 
Jerusalem, where the chief priefts and eld- 
ers, soon after the resurreftion of Lazarus, 
iffued a proclamation, promifmg a reward 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



to any one who fhould apprehend him. In 
all probability this, was the reason why the 
disciples were aftonifhed at the alacrity of 
our Lord during this journey, while they 
themselves followed him trembling. Jesus, 
therefore, thought proper to repeat the 
prophecies concerning his sufferings, in 
order to fhevv his disciples that ihey were 
entirely voluntary; adding, that though 
the Jews fhould put him to death, yet, in- 
ftead of weakening, it fhould increase their 
faith, especially as he would rise again the 
third day from the dead : Behold, toe go 
up to Jerusalem ; and all things that are 
Tvritten by the prophets, concerning the Son 
of man, JJiall be accomplijhed : for he Jliall 
be delivered to the Gentiles, and Jliall be 
mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted 
on : and they Jliall scourge him, and put 
him to death : and the third day he [hall 
rise again, Luke xviii. 31, 32,33. 

It muft have given the greateil encou- 
ragement to our Lord's disciples, had they 
underllood and applied this prediftion, 
which was built upon the ancient prophe- 
cies, in a proper manner ; but they were 
so ignorant in the Scriptures, that they had 
no idea of what he meant : And they un- 
derjiood none oj these things: and this say- 
ing was hid from them, neither knew they the 
things which were spoken. 

But the sons of Zebedee were so igno- 
rant, that they thought their Matter, by 
his telling them he would rise again from 
the dead, meant that he would then ere6l 
his empire ; and, accordingly, begged that 
he would confer on them the chief pofts in 
his kingdom, which they expreffed, by de- 
firing to be seated, the one on his right- 
hand, and the other on his left, in allunon 
to his placing the twelve apoftles upon 
twelve thrones, judging the tribes of 
Israel. 

Ever fince our Saviour's transfiguration, 
the sons of Zebedee had conceived very 
high notions of his kingdom, and polTibly 
of their own merit also, because they had 
been admitted to behold that miracle : but 
- No. 7. 



Jesus told them, they were ignorant of 
the nature of the honour they requefted ; 
and fince they defired to fhare with him in 
his glory, afked them, if they were willing 
to fnare with him also in his sufferings : 
Ye know not what ye ajk. Are ye able to 
drink of the cup that I fiall drink of, and 
to be baptized with the baptism that I am 
baptized with P Matt. xx. 22. The two 
disciples, ravifhed with the prospeft of the 
dignity they were aspiring after, replied 
without hefitation, that they were both able 
and willing to fhare any hardfhip their 
Mafter might meet with in the way to his 
kingdom. To which he answered, that 
they fhould certainly fhare with him his 
troubles and afflictions ; but that they had 
afked a favour which was not his to give : 
Ye fiall drink, indeed, of my cup, and be 
baptized with the baptism that I am baptized 
with ; but to ft on my right hand, and on 
my left, is not mine to give, but it fiall be 
given to them for whom it is prepared of 
my Father. 

The indignation of the reft of the dis- 
ciples being raised by this ambitious re- 
queft of the two brothers, they thinking 
I themselves equally deserving the principal 
pofts in the Meffiah's kingdom, were highly 
offended at the arrogance of the sons of 
Zebedee. Jesus, therefore, in order to 
reftore harmony amongft his disciples, told 
them, that his kingdom was very different 
from those of the present world ; and that 
the greatness of his disciples did not, like 
that of secular princes, conftft in reigning 
over others in an absolute and despotic 
manner : Ye know that the princes of the 
Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and 
they that are great, exercise authority upon 
them. But it Jh all not be so among you: 
but whosoever will be great among you, let 
him be your minijlcr ; and whosoever will 
be chief among you, let him be your servant : 
I even as the Son of man came not to be ad- 
' miniflered unto, but to minijler, and to give 
his life a ransom for many. 

Rr 



l62 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



CHAPTER 



XXVII. 



Jesus, king arrived at Jericho, giveth Sight to two blind Men near that Place : He 
vifiteth Zaccheiis the Publican, a^id delivers the Parable of a Nobleman who left 
Money with his Servants to trade with in his Absence : The Rulers give Orders to 
apprehend him : Being arrived at Bethany, Mary anointeth his Feet ; Judas mur- 
mur eth at the Cofi. Christ rideth into Jerusalem upon an Ass, amidji the Accla- 
Tiubtions of the Multitude, and weepeth over the city. 



OUR Lord, with his disciples and 
the muhitude that accompanied him, 
being now arrived at Jericho, in their way 
to Jerusalem, a famous city of Paleftine, 
and the second in the kingdom. Near this j 
town Jesus cured two blind men, who sat | 
by the road begging, and expressed their j 
belief in him, as the Messiah : And as they \ 
departed from^ Jericho, a great multitude fol- 
lowed him. And, behold, two blind men fit- 
ting by the way Jide, when they heard that Je- 
s-us pafied by, cryed out, saying. Have mercy 
on us, 0 Lord, thou Son of David. And \ 
the multitude rebuked them, because they 
fJiould hold their peace : but they cried 
the more, saying, Have mercy on us, 0 
Lord, thou Son of David, Matt. xx. 29, 
^o, 31. 

The Son of God flood flill at this im- 
portunate requeft of the two men, and 
called them to him, that, by their manner 
of walking, spcBators might be convinced 
that they were really blind. As soon as 
they approached him, he afked them, what 
they requefted with such earneftness ? To 
which the beggars answered, that they 
might receive their fight : What will ye, 
that I jhall do unto you ? They say. Lord, 
that our tyes may be opened. This requeft 
was not made in vain : their compaffionate 
Saviour touched their eyes, and imme- 
diately they received fight, and followed 
him, glorifying and praifing God. After 
conferring fight on these beggars, Zaccheus, 
chief of the publicans, having often heard 
the fame of our Lord's miracles, was de- 
firous of seeing his person ; but the low- 
ness of his ftature preventing him from 
satisfying his curiofiiy, he ran before, and 
climbed up a sycamore-tree to see him ; for 
he was to -pass that way. As Jesus ap- 
proached the place where he was, he looked 



up, and saw him, and said unto him, 
Zacch'us, make hajle, and come down ; for 
to-day I muji abide at thy house, Luke 

XiX, 

At which condescenfion of our Lord, the 
publican expreffed his joy, carried him to 
his house, and fhewed him all the marks 
of civility in his power. But the people, 
when they saw he was going to the house 
of a publican, condemned his condufl:, as 
not conformable to the charafter of a pro- 
phet. Zaccheus seems to have heard these 
unjuft refleftions ; and, therefore, was wil- 
ling to juftify himself before Jesus and his 
attendants : And Zaccheus food, and said 
unto the Lord, Behold, Lord, the half of 
my goods I give to the poor ; and if I have 
taken any thing from any man, by false ac- 
cusation, I rejiore him four-fold. And Je- 
sus said unto him, This day is salvation come 
to this house, forasmuch as he also is a son 
of Abraham 

Further to convince the people that he 
aHed agreeable to his character, in keep- 
ing company with publicans and finners, 
our Lord told them, that the true intention 
of his comin? was to recover those who 
had wandered from the paths of virtue, 
and reftore them to God the rightful owner: 
The Son of man is come to seek and to save 
that which is lofi. While Je s u s continued 
in the house of Zaccheus the publican, he 
spake a parable to his followers, who sup- 
posed, at his arrival in the royal city, he 
would ereft the long-expefted kingdom of 
the Mefliah : A certain nobleman, said he, 
went into a far country to receive for him- 
self a kingdom, and to return. And he 
called his ten servants, and delivered to 
them ten pounds, and said unto them. Occupy 
till I come. But his citizens hated him, ayid 
. sent a mcffage after him, saying. We will not 



AND LIVES OF 

have this man to reign over us. And it 
came to pass, that when he was returned, 
having received the kingdom, then he com 
manded these servants to be called unto 
him, to whom he had given the money, that 
he might know how much every man had 
gained by trading. Then came the firfi, 
saying. Lord, thy pound hath gained ten 
pounds. And he said unto him. Well, thou 
good servant ; because thou haji been faithf ul 
in a very little, have thou authority over ten 
cities. And the second came, saying. Lord, 
thy pound hath gained Jive pounds. And 
he said likewise to him, be tho'i also over 
Jive cities: And another came, saying. Lord, 
behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept 
laid up in a napkin : for I J eared thee, 
because thou art an aujtere man : thou takeji 
up that thou layedjl not down, and reapejt 
tli^t thou didjl not sow. And he saith unto 
him, out of thine own mouth will L judge 
thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewefl 
that I was an aujlere man, taking up that 
I laid not down, and reaping that I did not 
sow : wherefore then gaveft not thou my mo- 
ney into the bank, thit at my coming I might 
have required mine own with usury? And 
he said unto them that flood by. Take from 
him the pound, and give it to him that 
hath ten pounds. ( And they said unto him. 
Lord, he hath ten pounds.) For I say unto 
you. That unto every one which hath fhall 
be given ; and from him that hath not, even 
that he hath fhall be taken away from him. 
But those mine enemies, which would not 
that I fhould reign over them, bring hither, 
and Jlay them before me. 

We have the charafters of three sorts of 
men in this parable delineated by our 
blelTed Saviour himself; namely, the true 
disciples of the Meffiah, the hypocrites, 
and the openly prophane : and the treat- 
ment these servants met with, represents the 
final sentences that will be paffed upon 
them by the awful Judge of the whole 
earth. The true disciples mail be rewarded 
with the honours and pleasures of immor- 
tality, the hypocrites ftripped of all the 
advantages they so often boafted, and 
loaded with eternal infamy, and the open 
enemies of Christ, in proportion to the 
degree of their guilt, fhall suffer severe 
punifliment. 

Although this be the general sense of the 
parable, yet it has also a particular relation 



HIS APOSTLES. 163 

to the time when it was spoken ; and was 
intended to teach the disciples, that though 
they might imagine that the MefTiahs king- 
dom was speedily to be ere6led, and they 
were soon to partake of its happiness, yet 
this was not to happen before the death 
of their Mafter ; that they themselves mufl 
perform a long and laborious course of 
services, before they received their eternal 
reward. That after his resurre6lion, when 
he had obtained the kingdom, he would 
return from his seat ofmajefty, and reckon 
with all his servants, and reward every 
one according to the improvements he had 
made in the truft committed to his care; 
and that he would execute, in an exem- 
plary n?.anner, his vengeance on those who 
refused to let him reign over them, and 
did all in their power to hinder the ere6i:ion 
of his kingdom among others. After speak- 
ing this parable, Jesus left the house of 
Zaccheus the publican, and continued his 
journey towards Jerusalem, where he 
proposed to celebrate the paffover ; and 
was earneftly expefted by the people, who 
came up to purify themselves, and who 
began to duubt whether he would venture 
to come to the feaft. This delay, however, 
was occafioned by the proclamation ilTued 
by the chief priefts, promifing a reward to 
any one who would discover the place of 
his retirement : Now both the chief prifls 
and the Pharisees had given a commandment, 
'that if any knew where he were, he fhould 
fiew ity that they might take him. John 
xi. 57. 

Jesus arrived at Bethany, fix days be- 
fore the paffover, and repaired to the house 
of Lazarus whom he had raised from the 
dead : there they made him a supper ; and 
Martha served : but Lazarus was one of 
them that sat at the table with him. Then 
took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, 
very coflly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, 
and wiped his feet with her hair : and the 
house was filed with the odour oj the oint- 
ment. Then saith one oJ his disciples, Judas 
Iscariot, Simons son, which fiould betray 
him. Why was not this ointment sold for 
three hundred pence, and given to the poor? 
This he said, not that he cared J or the poor ; 
but because he was a thief, and had the bag, 
and bare ivhat was put therein. Then said 
Jesus, Let her alone : ogainjl the day oJ my 
burying hath fie kept this. For the poor 



i64 



LIFE OF JE 



SUS CHRIST 



always yi: have with you ; but me ye have not 
always. 

Bethany being not above two miles from 
Jerusalem, the news of our Lord's arrival 
was soon spread through the capital, and 
great numbers of the citizens came to see 
Lazarus, who had been raised from the 
dead, together with the great prophet who 
had wrought so ftupendous a miracle ; and 
many of them were convinced both of the 
resurreftion of the former, and the divinity 
of the latter: but the news of their con- 
verfion, together with the reason of it, 
bein^ currently reported in Jerusalem, the 
chief priefts were soon senftble of the 
weight so great a miracle muft have on the 
minds of the people ; and therefore de- 
termined to put both Jesus and Lazarus to 
death, if poffible. 

O jr dear Lord was not ignorant of what 
the chief priefts and elders had determined 
againft him, but waii so far from declining 
to vifit Jerusalem, that he even entered it 
in a public manner. When they were come 
to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then 
sent Jesus two disciples, saying unto them, 
Go into the village over-agatri/l you, and 
Jlraightway ye Jliall find an ass tied, and a 
colt with her : loose them, and bring them 
unto me. And if any man say ought unto 
you, ye Jkall say. The Lord hath need of 
them ; and Jlraightway he will send them. 
All this was done, that it might be fulfilled, 
which was spoken by the propet, saying, 
Tdl the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy king 
Cometh unto th:e, meek, and fitting upon an 
ci^s, and a colt the foal of an ass. And the 
disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded 
them, and brought the ass, and the colt, 
and put on them their clothes, and they set 
him thireon. And a very great multitude 
spread their garments in the way : others 
cut down branches from the trees, and Jlrew- 
ed them in the way. And the multitudes 
that went before, and that followed, cried, 
saying, Hosanna to the Son of David : BlefJ- 
ed is he that cometh in the nam" of the Lord ; 
Hosanna in the highefi. And when he was 
come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, 
saying. Who is this? And the multitude 
said, This is Jesus, the prophet of Nazareth 
of Galilee, Matt. xxi. i — ii. 

This circumftance of our Lord has 
given more occafion for profane wit and 
ridicule, than any before : we reckon an 



ass to be a contemptible creature, and a 
man, especially a man of charafter, riding 
upon an ass, a ridiculous figure. These arc 
prejudices of our own times and country. 
And when they, who look no further than 
the manners and cufloms before them, exa- 
mine this part of the sacred ftory by the 
flandard of modern prejudices, they see, 
or think they see, something quite in- 
confiftent with the gravity and dignity of 
the person, pretenriing to be the king of 
the Jews, when Chrift is represented en- 
tering in triumph into Jerusalem, fitting 
on an ass. But however conteniptible an 
ass, ar a man riding on that creature may 
be at present, it was not so from the be- 
ginning. In many countries, and parti- 
cularly in Judea, persons of the higheffe 
distinftion usually rode upon affes. The 
governors of Israel are described in the song 
of Deborah, as riding on white afies, 
Judg. v. lo. And the thirty sons of Jair, 
who was judge and prince over Israel 
twenty-two years, are said to ride on 
thirty affes, ch. x. 4. And another judge 
is recorded to have had forty sons, and 
thirty nephews, that rode on seventy ass 
colts, ch. xii. 14. 

However, it may be afi^ed, that sup« 
poling it was an usual thing to ride on an 
ass, why fhould this common praftice be 
mentioned in relation to the Meffiah, as a 
mark of distinftion ? Might not the pro- 
phet, upon this suppofition, as well have 
said, he fhall come walking on foot ? And 
would he not have been as well known by 
one charafter as by the other.? BesideSp 
if wc turn to the book of Zechariah, where 
this prophecy is to be found, we fhall see 
the person, there described, to be a king, 
a juft king, and one having salvation : and 
what is there in this charafter, of riding on 
the foal of an ass, that is peculiar to a king, 
to a juft king, and to one who was to bring 
salvation and deliverance to his people ? 

However difficult these queftions may at 
firft fight appear, they are eafily answered ; 
not by confidering the ftate and conditiom 
of kings in general, but that peculiar to a 
king of Israel, on which is founded the pro- 
priety of this charafter. 

We fhall generally find, if we look into 
the hiftory of the rise and fall of nations, 
that their prosperity and success were pro- 
portionable to their force and power, and to 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



the condu6l and ability of their leaders. 
But with the Jews, who from flaves in 
Egypt became a powerful people, the case 
was very different. The beft and greateft 
of their kings, and he who carried their 
empire to it's greatefl: height, has left us 
another account of their affairs : 1 he people, 
says he, got not the land in pojfejfion by their 
men sword, neither did their oixii arm save 
them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, 
and the light of thy countenance, because thou 
hadjl afavour unto them, Psalm xliv. 3. 

We are apt to ascribe these and other 
fimilar paffages, to the piety and devotion 
of the Psalmift; to confider them only as 
acknowledgments of God's general provi- 
.dence in the affairs of the world ; and hence 
are apt to overlook, or not sufficiently 
confider, the hiflorical truths they contain. 
It is true, indeed, that all success, in the 
ftricleft sense, may be ascribed to God ; 
that it is he who giveth victory unto kings ; 
but he generally maketh use of natural 
means, and it is no offence to his provi- 
dence, that kings lift their thousands of 
horse and foot to secure themselves and 
their dominions. But with the Jews it 
was very different : they M'ere never 50 
weak as when they made themselves ftrong; 
never so certainly ruined as when their 
force was great enough to create a confi- 
dence in themselves. For God had taken 
the defence of Israel upon himself: and, 
the people were sure to be undone when 
ever they took it out of his hands to place 
it in their own. 

God was so tender of his honour in this 
respecl, and so concerned to juftify his 
promise to prote6l Israel in the eyes of the 
world, that he would not always permit 
natural causes to interfere in their deliver- 
ance, left the people fhould grow doubtful 
to whom they ought to ascribe their vic- 
tories. And for the same reason it was, 
that he commanded the people to have 
neither horses nor chariots of war for their 
defence : not because they were thought 
useless in war ; for it is well known that 
they were the ftrength of the ancient king- 
doms ; but because God himself had under- 
taken their defence, and he wanted neither 
horse nor foot to fight their battles. 

It is evident from the Jewifh hiftory, that 
this law was observed for near four hundred 
years ; namely, till about the middle of 
No. 7. 



Solomon's reign. And while David swayed 
the sceptre of Israel, when the kingdom 
was carried to it's utmoft height, he him- 
self rode on a mule, and provided i.o 
better equipage for his son, on the day of 
his coronation : Cause Solomonmy son, said 
David, to ride upon min-e oicn mule, and 
bring him down to Gibon ; and let Zadok 
the prvji and Nathan the prophet anoint him 
there king over Israel, 1 Kings i. 33, 34. 
And when that pious prince looked back» 
and contemplated this ftaie of things, he 
might well say. Some trujl in cha tots, and 
some in horses; but we will renumber thi 
name of the Lord our God, Psalm xx. 7. 

But things quickly changed their aspe6l 
in the reigrn of Solomon : he married the 
daughter of the king of Egypt, and opened 
a commerce between that countr)' and his 
own ; by which means he soon acquired an 
immenje number of horses and chariots; 
and all his succefljors, when they had it in 
their power, follov/ed his example. But 
what d:d the kingdom gain by this change ? 
They were before a rich and flourifhing 
people : but after breaking this law of the 
Moft High, their wealth and power gra- 
dually declined, till at laft, their habita- 
tions were laid waffe, their temple and 
cities burnt with fire, and they themselves 
carried captive into a ftrange land. 

Perhaps it may be afis.ed, wherein the 
guilt of having a country full of horses 
confiftcd ? There is certainly no moral 
crime in purchafing and keeping these crea- 
tures ; but the kings of Israel were exalted 
to the throne, on condition that they fhould 
renounce the affiftance of chariots and 
horses, and depend upon God for success 
in the day of battle. 

Thus having confidered this law, and 
the consequences that resulted from the 
breach of it, let us now look back to the 
prophecy relating to the Meffiah : Rejoice 
greatly, 0 daughter of Sion ; fhout, 0 
daughter of Jerusalem : behold, thy King 
Cometh unto thee : he is juft, and having 
salvation ; lowly, and riding upon an ass, 
and upon a colt the foal of an ass. And I 
will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and 
the horse from Jerusalerii, Zech. ix. 9. 10. 

The descendants of Jacob were to be 
saved by such a king : and what sort of a 
king could be expected? Is it pofTible to 
imagine that God would send a king to 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



save them who fhould be like the kings 
which had undone them ? Is it not more 
reasonable to think, that he would resem- 
ble those who had been deliverers of their 
country? Kings who feared God, and 
therefore feared no enemy ; who, though 
mounted on affes, and colts the foals of 
afles, were able to put to flight the thous- 
ands and ten thousands of chariots and 
horses that came a^ainit them. 

The king, foretold by the prophet, was 
also to be juft, meek, and lowly ; but how 
Gould he have deserved that charafter, had 
he appeared in the pride and pomp of war, 
surrounded with horses and chariots, in 
direct oppolition to the law of God ? Or, 
as he was to bring salvation to the people, 
could he make use of those means which 
God never had prospered, and which he 
declared he never would ? 

By this it appears, that it was elTential 
to the charafter of a king of Israel, who 
was to be juft and lowly, and to bring sal- 
vation with him, that he fhould come 
riding on an ass, and a colt the foal of an 
ass ; but if any doubt can yet remain, let 
the prophet himself explain it, who im- 
mediately after the description of the pro- 
mised king, adds, and I will cut off the 
chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from 
Jerusalem : plainly intimating, that the 
eharafter given of the MelTiah, that he 
fhould ride on an ass, was in oppofition to 
the pride of their warlike kings, who had 
ruined themselves and their people, by their 
great ftrength in chariots and horses. 

We have thus undeniably Ihewn the 
intention of the prophet, when he foretold, 
that the Mefliah fhould ride on an ass ; and 
from hence it appears, that the enemies of 
revelation have not the leaft reason for 
turning this transaftion into ] idicule. Was 
it any reproach to Christ to ride into 
Jerusalem on the foal of an ass, when 
David, the greatefl of his anceftors, and 
Solomon the wiseft, as long as he was wise, 
rode in the same manner ? Can the Jews 
object to this circumftance, and yet talk 
of the glories of David, and the magni- 
ficence of Solomon, who in the midit of 
all that gl'^ry and magnficcnce did the 
vcrv same thma;? Or can thev ilumble at 
this charafter of the Melhah, without for- 
getting by what princes their anceftors 
were saved, and by what undone ? 



But to return. The prodigious multi- 
tude that now accompanied Jesus filled 
the Pharisees and great men with malice 
and envy, because every method they had 
taken to hinder the people from follow- 
ing Jesus, had proved inefiPeftual : The 
Pharisees therefore said among themselves. 
Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? Be- 
hold the world is gone after him, John 
xii. 19. 

As our blefTed Redeemer drew near 
the city of Jerusalem, surrounded by the 
rejoicing multitude, notwithftanding the 
many affronts he had there received, he 
beheld the city ; and with a divine gene- 
rofity and benevolence, which nothing can 
equal, wept over it ; and, in the moft 
pathetic manner, lamented the calamities 
which he foresaw were coming upon it, 
I because it's inhabitants were ignorant of 
' the time of their vifitation : If, said he, 
thou hadfi known, even thou, at leafl in 
this thy day, the things which belong unto 
thy peace ! but now they are hid from 
thine eyes. For the day fhall come upon 
thee, that thine enemies fhall cafi a trench 
about thee, and compass thee round, and 
keep thee in on every fide, and fhall lay thee 
ev.'n with the ground, and thy children 
within thee; and they fhall not leave in 
thee one fione upon another : because thou 
knewpfi not the time of thy vifitrdion, Luke 
xix. 42, 43, 44. 

Ye wandering mortals, behold here an 
example and gencrofity infinitely superior 
to any furnifhed by the heathen world ; 
an example highly worthy for them to 
imitate and admire ! 

When our Lord entered Jerusalem, sur- 
rounded by the multitude, the whole city 
was moved on account of the prodigious 
concourse of people that accompanied 
him, and by their continual acclamations. 
Jesus rode inmediately to the temple; 
but it being evening, he soon left the city, 
to the great discouragement of the people 
who expefted he was immediately to have 
taken into his hands the reins of govern- 
ment : And Jesus entered into Jerusalem,, 
and into the temple : and when he had look- 
ed round about upon all things and now the 
eventide was come, he xvent out unto Bethany 
with the twelve, Mark xi. 11. 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



167 



C H' A P T E R XXVIIL 



Jesus curseth the barren Fig-Tree: He driveth the Buyers and Sellers out of the 
Temple, and healeth the Diseased there : His Reply to the Pharisees who took 
Offence at the Praises of the People: The cursed Fig-Tree is dried up: Christ 
exhorteth to Faith in prayer, and to Forgiveness of Enemies : Certain Greeks 
dejire to see. him : He fJieweth the Benefit of his Death to Believers ; prayeth to 
his Father ; is answered by a Voice from Heaven ; fignifieih the Manner of his 
Xy&ath ; and exhorteth to make good Use of the present Light. The Generality of 
the Jews believe not ; yet 7nany chief Rulers believe, but dare not confess him : 
He urgeth Faith in his divine Mifjion : He filenceth the Priejls and Elders who 
quefiioned his Authority : He delivers the Parable of the two Sons whom their 
Father sent to work in his Vineyard ; the Parable of the Vineyard let out to wicked 
Hufbandmen ; and the Parable of the Marriage of the Kings Son, wherein is 
fhezm tlu Umoorthiness of those that were firfi bidden, that others were called in 
their Room, and the Pumjhment oj one that came without having on the Weddnig- 
Garment. 



EARLY the next morning, our dear 
Lord left Bethany, to viht again the 
capital of Judea : and, as he pursued his 
journey, he saw at a diftance a fig-tree, 
which, from it's fulness of leaves, promised 
abundance of fruit. This inviting objeft, 
induced him to approach it, in expeftation 
of finding figs ; for he was hungry, and the 
season for gathering them was not yet ar- 
rived : but, on his coming to the tree, he 
found it to be really barren -, upon which 
our blefled Lord said to it, Let no Jruit 
grow on thse for ever, Matt. xxi. 19, 

This transaftion of our Lord which was 
purely emblematical, and prefigured the 
speedy ruin of the Jewilh nation, on ac- 
count of it's unfruitiulness, under all the 
advantages it then enjoyed, has, by the 
enemies to revelation, been represented as 
an aftion unbecoming the Redeemer of 
mankind : but, if they had fully confidered 
it's intention, they would have been con- 
vinced, that, like the reft of his miracles, 
it was done with a gracious intention ; 
namely, to awaken his countrymen from 
their lethargy, and prevent the total ruin 
of their church and nation, by repentance. 

Our blelfed Saviour, being disappointed 
in finding fruit on this fig-tree, pursued 
his journey to Jerusalem ; and, on his arri- 
val, went ftraightway to the temple, the 
outer court of which he found full of 
merchandise. A fight like this, vexed his 
meek and righteous soul : so that having 



made a small scourge of cords, he drove 
them all out of the temple, overturned the 
tables of the money-changers, and the seats 
of them that sold doves, and would not 
suffer any veffel to be carried through the 
temple ; saying unto them, Is it not writ- 
ten, my house Jhall be called of all nations, 
a house of prayer ? but ye have made it a den 
of thieves. 

This is confidered by St. Jerom as one 
of the greateft of all our Saviour's miracles ; 
and it muft be owned that the circumftan- 
ces are very extraordinary, that one man 
fhould undertake so bold, and execute so 
hazardous a tafk ; one man, without a com-, 
miffion from Caesar, without any counte- 
nance from the Jewifli rulers, without anv 
arms, either to terrify the multitude, or 
defend himself; that he fhould cafl out the 
whole tribe of mercenary traffickers, wreft 
from those worfhippers of wealth their 
darling idol, and trample under foot their 
great Dianna ; and all this without tumult 
oroppofition : not one of the sacrilegious 
rabble daring to move the hand, or open 
the mouth. 

According to tradition, a certain bright 
and dazzling luftre flafhed from his eyes, 
which the people were unable to bear, as 
they formerly could not behold the face of 
Moses, for the glory that surrounded him : 
but as the Scriptures take no notice of this 
transcendent luftre, we muff only adore the 
greatness of the fa6f, and, at the same time. 



i68 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



so improve this miracle to our spiritual ad- 
vantage, as to secure, by accepting his 
grace, the power of this Mighty Reformer 
on our fides, that when he fhall come in 
glory, we may be safe under the Ihadow of 
his almighty wings, while he takes fearful 
vengeance on those who have defiled his 
holy temple, and made it a den of thieves ; 
and those who have robbed Omnipotence 
of his due, will then find their souls de- 
prived of their everlafting rewards in the 
happy manfions of a bielfed eternity. 

The temple being thus cleared by our 
bleffed Lord, of this avaricious tribe of 
dealers, the people brought unto him the 
blindj the lame, and the diseased, who were 
all healed by the Son of God ; so that the 
very children proclaimed him to be the 
great Son of David, the long expefted 
MelTiah, when they saw the many miracu- 
lous cures he performed. 

The Pharisees were highly provoked at 
these transactions, but they feared the 
people, and therefore only allied him, if 
he heard what the children said ? infinua- 
tingthat he ought to rebuke them, and not 
suffer them thus to load him with the 
higheft praises. But Jesus, inftead of 
giving a dire6l answer to their queftion, 
repeated a paffage out of the eighth Psalm : 
Have ye never read, said the blefled Jesus, 
out of the mouths oj babes and sucklings, 
thou hajl perfeB.ed praise ? Giving them to 
underftand, that the meaneft of God's 
works are so formed, as to declare the 
greatness of his proteftion ; and that if the 
Father does not refuse the praise which 
arises from the leaft of his creatures, so 
the Son did not disdain that offered him by 
children. In the present juncture, praise 
was peculiarly acceptable, as it implied, 
that his miracles were so exceedingly illuft- 
rious, that they led the tender minds of 
children, illuminated only with the dawn- 
ings of reason, to acknowledge him for the 
Meffiah so earneftly defired, and so long 
expefted, by all the descendants of Jacob. 

In the evening, our Lord with his dis- 
ciples, left the city and retired to Bethany, 
where his benevolent miracle, in raifing 
Lazarus from the dead, had procured him 
many friends, among whom he was always 
in safety. The next m^orning, as they were 
returning to Jerusalem, the disciples were 
aftonilhed at beholding the fig-tree that had 



been but the morning before declared 
barren, dried up jrom the roots : they had, 
in all probability, fQrgotten what our Sa- 
viour had said to this fig-tree, till it's dry 
and withered aspeft brought it again to 
their memory. Peter, on seeing this afto- 
niffiing phenomenon, said unto Jesus, 
Majter, behold, the Jig-tree which thou 
cursedft, is withered away / To which Jesus, 
answered, that whoever hath faith in the 
Almighiy, or thoroughly believed in his 
miracles, fliould be able to do much greater 
things than the withering of the fig-tree : 
And Jesus answering, saith unto them, Have 
faith m God. For verily I say unto you, 
that whosoever fhall say unto this mountain^ 
Be thou removed, and be thou caft into the 
sea ; and fhall not doubt in his heart, but 
fiall believe, that those things which he 
saiih fhall come to pass ; he fliall have what- 
soever he saith, Mark xi. 22, 23. 

He also added, that whatsoever they 
fliould afk by faith, they fhould receive; 
and concluded, by giving them diredions 
concerning prayer, which was neceffary to 
increase the faith he mentioned : And when 
ye f and praying, forgive, if ye have ought 
againfi any : that your Father als& which 
is in heaven, may forgive you your tres- 
paffes. But if ye do not forgive, neither 
will your Father which is in heaven, for- 
give your trespaffss. 

During our dear Redeemer's continuance 
in the temple, certain proselyted Greeks, 
who came up to worfhip at Jerusalem, de- 
fired to see him, having long cheriftied 
expectations of beholding the promised 
Meffiah. Accordingly, they applied to 
Philip, a native of Bethsaida, who men- 
tioned it to Andrew, and he told it to 
Jesus. Upon which our bleffed Saviour 
told his disciples, that he fhould soon be 
honoured with the converfion of the Gen- 
tiles : The hour is come, said he, that the 
Son of man fhould be glorified. But de- 
clared, that before this glorious event hap- 
pened, he muft suffer death ; illuftrating 
the neceffity there was of his dying, by the 
fimilitude of calling grain into the earth : 
Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a corn 
of wheat fall into th" ground, and die, it 
abideth atone: but f it die, it hingeth forth 
much fruit, John xii. 24. Adding, that 
fince it was absolutely neceffary for him, 
their Lord and Mafter, to suffer the pains 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



of death before he ascended the throne of 
his glory ; so they, as his followers, mull 
also expeft, to be persecuted and spitefully 
used for his name-sake ; but if they perse- 
vered, and even resolved to lose their lives 
in his service, he would reward their con- 
ftancy with a crown of glory. And at the 
same time he tacitly infinuated, that the 
ftrangers, if their defire of converfing with 
him proceeded from an expeftation of 
obtaining temporal preferments, would 
find themselves greatly disappointed : If 
any man serve me, let him follow me ; and 
where I am, there fhall also my servant be : 
if any man serve me, him will my Father 
honour. 

Thus having surveyed his own sufferings, 
and proposed them as an example to his 
disciples, the melancholy prospeft so great- 
ly moved him, that he uttered in a very 
pathetic manner his grief, and addreffed 
his heavenly Father for succour in his 
diftress : Now is my soul troubled ; and 
-what fhall I say ? Father, save me from 
this hour : but for this cause came I unto 
this hour. 

We fhould learn by this example of our 
Lord, that prayer is the only method of 
eafing the mind' overwhelmed with diftress ; 
but, at the same time, to be always rehgned 
to the Divine Will : for, though the weak- 
ness of human nature may Ihrink when 
persecutions or sufferings of any kind ap- 
pear in all their hideous forms ; yet, by 
refleftino- on the wisdom, goodness, and 
power of God to deliver us, we ought to 
support every trial, however severe, with 
patience, as he doubtless proposes some 
happy end by these affliftions. 

Our dear Redeemer, having given vent 
to his melancholy refleftions, and made a 
fhort prayer to his heavenly Father, begged 
of God to demonftrate the truth of his 
milTion, by some token which could not be 
refifted : Father, glorify thy name. Nor 
had the great Saviour of mankind hardly 
uttered these words, before he was answer- 
ed by an audible voice from heaven, / 
have both glorified it, and will glorify it 
ugain. The miracles thou haft already 
performed have glorified my name ; and, 
by other miracles to be wrought before the 
sons of men, I will ftill continue to glorif y 
it. 

No. 8. 



This voice was evidently preternaturalj 
resembling thunder in loudness, but suffi- 
ciently articulate to be underftood by those 
who heard our bleffed Saviour pray to his 
heavenly Father. And Jesus told his 
disciples, that it was not given for his sake, 
but to confirm them in their faith of his 
miffion : This voice, said he, came not be- 
cause of me, but for your sakes. It came to 
confirm what 1 have told you relating to 
my sufferings, death, resurreftion, and the 
converfion of the whole Gentile world to 
the Chriftian religion, 

A prospeft like this, could not fail of 
being agreeable to that compaflionate 
Being, who came down from heaven to 
redeem loft and undone mankind, and of 
removeing the melancholy thoughts that 
aftlifted his spotless soul : and accordingly 
he communicated this comfortable reflec- 
tion to his disciples, telling them that the 
time was at hand when the kingdom of 
Satan ftiould be deftroyed, and the sons of 
men exalted with himself into the happy 
regions of the heavenly Canaan : Now is 
the judgment of this world : now fhall the 
prince of this world be cafi out. And I. if 
I be lifted up from the earth, will draw alt 
men unto me. 

But the people on hearing our blefled 
Redeemer affirm, that he was to suffer 
death on the cross, or as he termed it, hi 
lifted up fom the earth, could not recon- 
cile what he said with the prophecies made 
concerning the Mefliah, whom they sup- 
posed was never to tafte of death : We have 
heard, said they, out of the law, that Chrifi 
abideth for ever : and how sayefl thou, The 
Son of man muft be lifted up To which 
our blefled Lord replied, that they fliould 
soon be deprived of his presence and mi- 
racles, and therefore ihey would do well 
to liften attentively to his precepts, firmly 
believe the doftrines he delivered, and 
wisely improve them to their eternal ad- 
vantage ; for otherwise they would be soon 
overtaken with spiritual blindness, and ren- 
dered incapable of inheriting the promises 
of the gospel : that while they enjoyed the 
benefit of his preaching and miracles, which 
sufficiently proved the truth of his miflion 
from the Moft high, they fliould believe 
on him, for by that means alone they could 
become the children of God : Yet a little 
while is the light with you. Walk while you 
T t 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



have the light, lejl darkness come upon you : 
for he that loalketh in darkness, knowethnot 
whither he goeth. While ye have light, believe 
in the light, that ye may he the children of 
light. 

Having spoken these words to the peo- 
ple, our dear Lord retired privately Irom 
Jerusalem, probably to Bethany ; but, not- 
withftanding the many miracles our great 
Redeemer had wrought in the presence of 
this perverse and ftifF-necked people, the 
generality of them refused to own him for 
the MefTiah ; being filled with the vain ex- 
pectations of a temporal prince, who was to 
rule over all the kingdoms of the earth, 
and place his throne in Jerusalem, Some, 
indeed, even of the rulers, believed on 
him, though, valuing the good opinion of 
men above the approbation of the Al- 
mighty, they thought it prudent to con- 
ceal their faith, lell they Ihould, like the 
blind man, be excommunicated, or put out 
of the synagogue. 

But our Redeemer being willing to che- 
rifh the leaft glimmerings of faith, wherever 
it appeared, he soon returned to Jerusa- 
lem ; and to inspire such as believed on 
him with courage, he cried in the temple. 
He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, 
but on him that sent me. As if he had said, 
the doftrine I preach to the children of 
men, is so evidently from God, that he 
who believeth on me, believeth more pro- 
perly on the Almighty, who sent me into 
the world, and by whose authority alone 
I preach the gospel : adding, he that seeth 
the miracles I perform, seeth the operations 
of that omnipotent Power by which I aft: I 
am the Sun of Righteousness, whose beams 
dispel the darkness of ignorance in which 
the sons of men are involved, and am come 
to deliver all who believe on me, out of 
that palpable darkness. You muft not 
however expeft, that I will at present exe- 
cute my judgments upon those who refuse 
to embrace the doftrines of the gospel ; for 
I am not come to condemn and punifh, 
but to save the world, and consequently 
to try every gentle and winning method to 
reclaim the v;icked from the error of their 
ways, and turn their feet into the paths of 
virtue, which lead to the happy manfions 
of my Father's kingdom : they fliall not, 
however, escape unpuniftied who negleft 
the inftru6lions and offers of salvation now 



made to them ; for the doctrine I have 
preached, shall bear witness against them 
at the awful tribunal of the last day ; and 
as it has aggravated their sin, so it shall 
then heighten their punishment. I well 
know, that the doctrines and precepts 
which the Father hath commanded me to 
preach, are the only conditions of eternal 
life ; and, therefore, I have proposed them 
with the greatest faithfulness, perspecuity, 
and confidence ; consequently 1 am worthy 
of credit, both with regard to my mission, 
and the faithfulness with which I have exe- 
cuted the commands of the Most High. 

A deputation of priests and elders was 
sent from the supreme council, while our 
Lord was thus preaching in the temple, 
to afk him concerning the nature of the 
authority by which he acted, whether it 
was as prophet, priest, or king, as no other 
person had a right to make any alterations 
either in church or state ; and, if he laid 
claim to either of those characters, from 
whom he received it ? But our blessed Sa- 
viour, instead of giving a direct answer to 
the queftion of the Pharisees, afked them 
another; promifing, if they resolved his' 
queflion, he would also answer theirs : / 
also will ajkyou one thing, which if ye tell 
me, I in like manner will tell you by what 
authority I do these things. 1 he baptism of 
John, whence was it ? from heaven or of 
men ? Matt. xxi. 24, 25. 

The Priefts were reduced, by this ques- 
tion, to an inextricable dilemma : they 
confidered, on the one hand, that if they 
said it was from God, it would oblige them 
to acknowledge the authority of Jesus, 
John having more than once publicly de- 
clared him to be the MefTiah ; and, on the 
other, if they peremptorily denied the 
authority of John, they would be in danger 
of being ftoned by the people, who, in 
general, confidered him as a prophet :, 
they therefore thought it the moll eligible 
method to answer, that they could not telL 
from whence John's baptism was. Thus, 
by declining to answer the queftion afked 
them by Jesus, they left him at liberty to 
decline giving ths council the satisfaftion 
they had sent to demand : and, at the 
same time, they plainly conftfTed, that 
they were unable to pass any sentence on 
John the Baptift, notwithftanding he 
claimed the charafter of a raeffenger from 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



171 



God, and they had sent to examine his 
pretenfions. This was, in effeft, to ac- 
knowledge, that they were incapable of 
judging of any prophet whatsoever ; well, 
therefore, might the bleffed Jesus say, 
Neither tell I you Iry what autkority I do 
these things. You have no right to afk, 
fince you have confefTed you are unable to 
judge ; and, for that reason, I (hall not 
satisfy your inquiry. 

Tnis deputation of the elders having 
said that they were ignorant from whence 
the baptism of John was, our bleffed Sa- 
viour fharply rebuked them, conveying his 
reproof in the parable of the two sons 
commanded to work in their father's vine- 
yard ; and made them condemn them- 
selves, by afking their opinion of the two. 

A certain man, said he, had two sons: 
and he came to the jirjl and said, Son, go 
■work to-day in viy vineyard. But this un- 
gracious youth very roughly answered the 
kind command of his father, and, without 
the leaft preface, or appellation of respeft, 
answered, / will not : but, after reflefting 
on the impropriety and indecency of such 
behaviour to his kind and indulo;ent father, 
he repented of what he had done, and 
went to work in the vineyard. The father 
having met with so harfh a reply from the 
former son. had recourse to the other, and 
in the same manner, ordered him to work 
that dav in his vineyard. This son was 
very different from the former, and in a 
very dutiful manner said, I go Sir. But, 
notwithftandinsf this seeming obedience, he 
delayed to do as his father defired ; he did 
not go to work in the vineyard. The 
temper and behaviour of this second son 
were exaftly conformable to that of the 
Pharisees : they gave the Almighty the 
moft honourable titles, and profefled the 
utmoft zeal for his service, in their prayers 
and praises ; but at the same time refused 
to do any part of the work that he en- 
joined them. In the charafter of the other 
son, the dispofition of the publicans and 
harlots is well described. They neither 
profefTed or promised to do the will of 
their Creator ; but when they came to 
refleft serioufly on their conduct, arid the 
offers of mercv which were so kindlv made 
them, they submitted to our Saviour, and 
amended their lives in consequence of their 
faith. 



Our Lord having thus finifhed the pa- 
rable, alked the Pharisees, Whether of them, 
twain did the will of his Father P They say 
unto him, the frjl. They did not imme- 
diately perceive, that by this answer they 
condemned themselves, till our Saviour 
made a juft application of the parable, in 
this (harp, but jult rebuke : Veyily, 1 say 
unto you, that the publicans and the harlots 
go into the kingdom of God before you. 
For John came unto you in the way of 
righteousness, andyc believed htm not, nor 
entered into your lather s vineyard, though 
like the second son, you promise in the 
moft fair and candid manner : but the pub- 
licans and the harlots bdieved him, repented 
of their former disobedience, and entered 
into the vineyard. 

Our blelled Lord did not reft satisfied 
with ftiewing the Pharisees the heniousness 
of their fin in rejefting the Baptift, but he 
thought proper also to represent the crime 
of the nation in rejefting all the prophets 
which had been sent fince they became a 
nation, and among the reft, the only be- 
gotten Son of the Moft High ; warning 
them, at the same time, of their danger, 
and the punifhment that would inevitably 
ensue, if they continued in their rebellion, 
i The outward oeconomy of religion, in 
: which they gloried, would be taken from 
I them ; their relation to God, as his people, 
\ cancelled ; and the national conftitution 
deftroyed : but because these topics were 
extremely disagreeable, he delivered them 
under the veil of the following parable : 
There wm, said he, a certain householder, 
which planted a vineyard, and hedged it 
round about, and digged a wine press in it, 
and built a tower, aiid let it out to hufband- 
\men, and zcent into a far country. 

We frequently find in the sacred Scrip- 
tures, the comparison of the church to a 
vineyard ; but this particular parable, for 
the fuller conviftion of the Jews, is ex- 
pres^ly taken from the fifth chapter of the 
prophet Isaiah, with which they could not 
fail of being well acquainted, nor ignor- 
ant of it's meaning, as the prophet at the 
end of it adds : Ihe i-ineyard of the Lord 
of hofls IS the house of Israel, and the meii 
of Judah his pleasant plant : and he look- 
ed for judgment, but behold oppreffion ; 
for righteousness, but behold a err. Out 
Saviour, therefore', continued ihe meta- 



fJ2 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



phor, telling them ; That when the time 
of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants 
to the hufbandmen, that they might receive 
the fruits of it. And the hufbandmen took 
his servants, and heat one, and killed ano- 
ther, and ftonned another. The Almighty 
sent the prophets to exhort the Jews to 
entertain juft sentiments of religion, and 
tread the paths of virtue ; but the Jews, 
extremely irritated at the prophets for the 
freedom they used in reproving their fins 
persecuted and flew them with unrelent- 
ing fury. Their wickedness, however, in 
killing these meflengers, did not infliantly 
provoke the Almighty to pour down his 
vengeance upon them ; he sent more pro- 
phets to exhort and reclaim them, but they 
met with no better fate than the former. 
His mercy however ftill continued ; and 
that no means might be left untried, he 
sent unto them his own son, whose autho- 
rity, being clearly eftablilhed by undeniable 
miracles, ought to have been acknowledg- 
ed cheerfully by these wicked men : but 
how different was the consequence ? When 
the hufbandmen saw the son, they said among 
themselves, This is the heir ; come, let us 
kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. 
When the Lord, therefore, of the vineyard 
Cometh, what will he do unto these hufband- 
men ? They say unto him, he will miserably 
deftroy those wicked men, and will let out his 
vineyard unto other hufbandmen, which fhall 
render him the fruits m their seasons. 

On hearing this answer made by the 
Pharisees, the people said, God forbid ; 
surely these hufbandmen will not proceed 
to such desperate iniquity surely the vine- 
yard will not thus be taken from them. 
But, to confirm the truth of this, our 
Saviour added a remarkable prophecy of 
himself, and of his rejeftion, from the i i8th 
Psalm : Bid ye never, said he, read in the 
Scriptures, The Jlone which the builders re- 
jetied, the same is become the head of the 
corner : this is the Lord's doing, and it is 
marvellous in our eyes. 

The rejeftion of the MelTiah by the 
Jews, and the reception he met with among 
the Gentiles, all brought to pass by the pro- 
vidence of God, are wonderful events: and 
therefore I say unto you, the kingdom of 
God fhall be taken from you, and given 
to a nation bringing forth the fruits 
thereof. 



The chief priefls, perceiving the drift 
of our Saviour's parable, were highly in- 
censed, and would gladly have appre- 
hended him ; but they feared the people, 
who acknowledged him as the Mefliah 
while they surrounded him in the tem- 
ple. 

But as the rulers were afraid to ap- 
prehend Jesus, he was at liberty to 
proceed in the offices of his miniflry ; 
accordingly he delivered another parable, 
wherein he described on the one hand, 
the bad success which the preaching of 
the gospel was to meet with amongfl 
the Jews ; and, on the other, the cheer- 
ful reception given it among the Gen- 
tiles. This gracious defign of the Al- 
mighty, in giving the gospel to the 
children of men, our blefled Saviour 
illuftrated by the behaviour of a certain 
king, who, in honour of his son, made a 
great feafl, to which he envited many 
guefts : The kingdom of heaven is like unto 
a certain king ; which made a marriage jor 
his son. This marriage-supper, or great 
feafl, fignifies the joys of heaven, which 
are properly compared to an elegant en- 
tertainment, on account of their exquifite- 
ness and duration ; and are here said to 
be prepared in honour of the Son of God, 
being beftowed on men as a reward for 
their obedience. 

But before the supper was ready, the 
servants were sent forth to call the guefts 
to the wedding ; that is when the fulness 
of time approached, the Jews, as being the 
peculiar people of God, were firft called 
to the great feaft of heaven by John the 
Baptift, and afterwards by Christ him- 
self ; but they refused all these benevolent 
calls of mercy, and rejefted the kind in- 
vitations of the gospel, though preffed by 
the preaching of the Mefiiah, and his 
forerunner. After our Saviour's resur- 
re6lion and ascenfion, the apoftles were 
sent forth to inform the Jews, that the 
gospel-covenant was eftablilhed ; that 
manfions in heaven was prepared ; - and 
that nothing was wanting but their cheer- 
ful acceptance of the honour defigned 
them : Again, he sent forth other servants, 
saying, Tell them which are bidden, Be- 
hold, I have prepared my dinner : my oxen 
and my failings are killed, and all things 
are ready : com€ unto the marriage. But 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



these meffengers were as unsuccessful as 
the former. The Jews undervaluing the 
favour offered them, mocked at the mes- 
sage ; and some of them, more rude than 
the reft, insulted, beat, and flew the serv- 
ants that had been sent to call them to 
the marriage-supper, of the lamb : But 
uohen the king heard thereof, ke wds z^iroth ; 
and sent jorth his armies, and dejiroyed 
those murderers, and burnt up their city. 
This branch of the parable plainly pre- 
difted the deftru6^ion of the Jews by the 
Roman armies, called here the armies of 
the Almighty, because they were ap- 
pointed by him to execute vengeance on 
that once favourite, but now rebellious 
people. 

The benevolent calls of the gospel be- 
ing thus rejefted by the Jews, the king 
ao"ain sent forth his servants into the coun- 
tries of the Gentiles, with orders to com- 
pel all that they met with to come in lo 
the marriage. This was immediately done, 
and the wedding was furnifhed with guefts : 
but when the king came into the apart- 
ment, hf saw there a man which had not on 
a wedding garment ; and he saith unto him 
Friend, kow cameji thou in hither, not having 
a wedding garment ? And he was speechless. 
Then said the king to the servants. Bind 
him hand and foot, and take him away, and 
cast him into outer darkness ; there shall be 
-weeping and gnafiing of teeth :for many are 
called, but few arc chosen, Matt. xxii. n. 

12, 13, 14. 

No. 8, 



The latter part of the parable represents 
the final judgment, and teaches us, that 
though the Gentiles obeyed the call of the 
gospel with more alaciity than the Jews, 
yet they should not all be saved. And by 
the conclusion of the parable we learn, 
that the profession of the Christian religion 
will not save a man, unless he lives m a 
manner conformable to it's precepts. Let 
us, therefore, who have obeyed the call, 
and are by profefTion the people of God, 
think often on that awful day, when the 
King will come in to see his guefts, when 
the Almighty will, with the greateft ftrift- 
ness, view every soul that lays claim to 
the joys of heaven ; let us think of the 
speechless confufion that will seize such 
as have not on the wedding-garment, and 
of the inexorable anxiety with which 
they will be configned to weeping and 
gnafhing of teeth ; and let us remember, 
that to have seen for a while the light of 
the gospel, and the fair beamings of an 
eternal hope, will add deeper and more 
senfible horrors to these gloomy caverns. 
On the other hand, to animate and encour- 
age us, let us think also on the harmony, 
pomp, and beauty of heaven, that will 
add to the solemnity, the magnificence, 
and the joys of the happy time, when 
the marriage-supper of the Lamb fhall 
be celebrated. 



XJu 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



CHAPTER XXIX. 



Our Saviour answers the infidious Quejlion of the Pharisees concerning paying Trib' 
ute to Ccesar : He confutLth the Sadducees who quejlioned him touching the Resur- 
redion : He JJieweth which are the two great Commandments of the Law : He 
proposeth to the Pharisees a Quejlion concerning himself: He exhorieth to observe 
the DoSirine, but not to follow the evil Examples, of the Scribes and Pharisees ; 
and particularly, not to imitate their Ambition ; He pronounceth divers Woes againji 
the Scribes and Pharisees for their Blindness and Hypocrisy i and prophefieth the 
Dejirudion of Jerusalem, 



THE parable of the marriage-supper 
incensed the Pharisees in such a man- 
ner, that they immediately concerted with 
the Herodians or Sadducees on the moft 
proper method of putting our Lord to 
death. It is sufficiently evident, that their 
hatred was now carried to the higheit pitch, 
because the moft violent enmity which had 
so long subfifted between the two sefts, was 
on this occafif n suspended, and they join- 
ed together to execute this cruel deter- 
mination on the Son of God : they, 
however, thought it moft eligible to a6t 
very cautioufly, and endeavour, if poffible, 
to catch some hafty expreflion from him, 
that they might render him odious to the 
eople, and procure something againft 
im, that might serve as a bafis for a 
prosecution. Accordingly, they sent some 
V of their disciples to him, with orders to 
feign themselves juft men, who maintained 
the greateft veneration for the law, and 
dreaded nothing more than the doing any 
thing inconfiftent with it's precepts ; and, 
under this specious cloak of hypocrisy, to 
beg his determination of an affair that had 
long lain heavy on their conciences ; 
namely, the paying tribute to Caesar, which 
they thought inconfiftent with their zeal 
for religion. This queftion was, it seems, 
furioully debated in our Saviour's time ; 
one Judas, a native of Galilee, having 
inspired the people with a notion, that 
taxes to a foreign power were absolutely 
unlawful. A doftrine so pleafing to the 
worldly-minded Jews, could not fail of 
friends, especially among the lower class ; 
and therefore, muft have many partizans 
amongft the multitude that then surround- 
ed the Son of God. The priefts, therefore, 
imagined, that it was not in his power to 



decide the point, without rendering him- 
self obnoxious to some of the parties : if he 
ftiould say it was lawful to pay the taxes, 
they believed, that the people in whose 
hearing the queftion was proposed, would 
be incensed againft him, not only as a base 
pretender, who, on being attacked, pub- 
licly renounced the chara6ler of the Mes- 
fiah, which he had affumed among his 
friends, but also as a flatterer of princes, 
and a betrayer of the liberties of his 
country, one who taught doftrines incon- 
fiftent with the known privileges of the 
people of God : but if he ftiould affirm, 
that it was unlawful to pay tribute, they de- 
termined to inform the governor, who, they 
hoped, would punifti him as a fomenter 
of sedition. Highly elated with their pro- 
je6l, they accordingly came ; and, after 
pafiing an encomium on the truth of his 
miftion, his courage, and his impartiality, 
they proposed this famous queftion : 
Mafier, said they, we know that thou art 
true, ard carejl J or no man ; for thou re- 
gardejl not the person of men, but teachejl 
the way oj God m truth. Tell us therefore, 
what thinkejl thou, is it lauful to give 
tribute unto Coesar or not ? 

However, though they had artfully laid 
the scheme, they could not deceive our 
bleffed Lord, who beheld the inmoft reces- 
ses of their hearts: he saw their secret 
intentions ; and accordingly called them 
hypocrites, to fignify, that though they 
made conscience, and a regard for the 
divine will, their pretence for propofing 
this queftion, he saw their defign, and 
knew that their intention was only to en- 
snare him. 

Nevertheless, our bleffed Saviour did 
not decline answering their queftion, but 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



previofly defired to see a piece of the trib- 
ute money. The piece was accordingly 
produced, and proved to be coined by the 
Romans. Upon which our dear Lord an- 
swered them, fince this money bears the 
image of Caesar, it is his ; and by making 
use of it, you acknowledge his authority : 
if so, I leave it to yourselves, to judge 
whether tribute ought not to be paid to- 
wards the support of that goverment which 
ye have acknowledged which ye cannot 
fliake off, and by which your tranquillity is 
preserved : but, at the same time that you 
discharge your duty to the civil magiftrate, 
you fhould never forget the duty you owe 
to your God ; but remember, that as you 
bear the image of the great, the omnipo- 
tent King, you are his subjefts, and 
ought to pay him the tribute of your- 
selves, serving him to the very utmofi of 
your power. 

Under a pretence of religion, the Pha- 
risees and their followers often juftified 
sedition ; but the Herodians, in order to 
ingratiate themselves with the reigning 
powers, made them a compliment of their 
consciences, complying with whatever they 
enjoined, however oppofite their commands 
might be to the divine law. Our Lord, 
therefore, adapted his answer to them both, 
exhorting them in their regards to God 
and the magiftrate, to give each his due ; 
as, when their rights only are infifted on, 
there can be no inconfiftency between them. 

Jesus, by so unexpeded an answer, 
confuted them on their own principles, 
and fhewed, that the rights of God, and 
those of the magiftrate, do not in the leaft 
mterfere ; because magiftrates are God's de- 
puties, and rule by his authority : this quite 
disconcerted and filenced these crafty ene- 
mies ; they were aftoniftied both at his 
having discovered their defign, and his 
wisdom in avoiding the snare they had so 
artfully laid for him : When they heard these 
words, they marvelled, and left him, and went 
their way, Matt. xxii. 22. 

But the miscarriage of this scheme did 
not intimidate others from renewing the 
attack ; enemies came a^ainft him from 
every quarter. The Sadducees, who 
denied the doctrine of a future ftate. 
together with the exiftence of angels and 
spirits, firft returned to the charge ; pro- 
poling to him their ftrongeft argument 



»75 

againft the resurreftion, which they dedu- 
ced from the law given by Moses, with re- 
gard to marriage : Majter,^2i\6. they. Moses 
wrote unto us: if a mans brother die having 
a wif e, and he die without children, that his 
brother Jhould take his wife, and raise up 
seed unto his brother. Ihere were there- 
fore, seven brethren ; and the firfi took a 
wife, and died without children. And the 
second took her to wife, and he died child- 
less. And the third took her ; and in like 
manner the seven also : and they left no chil- 
dren and died. Lafi of all the women died, 
also. Therefore, in the resurrection, whose 
wife of them is fhe? for seven had her to 
wifs, Luke XX. 28 — 33. 

But the Sadducees, believing the soul to 
be nothing more than a refined matter, 
were persuaded, that if there was any fu- 
ture ftate, it muft resemble the present ; 
and the being in that ftate material and 
• mortal, the human race could not be con- 
tinued, nor the individuals rendered happy, 
without the pleasures and conveniences of 
marriage : and hence confidered, that every 
man's wife ftiould be reftored to him, as a 
neceflary consequence of the do£lrine of the 
resurreftion, or a future ftate. 

But our blefled Saviour soon confuted 
this argument, by telling the Pharisees they 
were ignorant of the power of God, who 
had created spirit as well as matter, and 
who can render man completely happy in 
the enjoyment of himself. He also ob- 
served, that the nature of the life obtained 
in a future ftate, made marriage altogether 
superfluous, because in the world to come, 
men being spiritual and immortal, like the 
angels, there was no need of natural means 
to propagate or continue the kind : Ye do 
err, said our dear Lord, not knowing the 
Scriptures, nor the power of God. For in 
the resurreSiion, they neither marry, nor are 
given in marriage, Matt. xxii. 29. Neither 
can they die any more ; for they are equal 
unto the angels, and are the children of God, 
being the children of the resurredion, Luke 
XX. 36. Hence we may observe, that good 
men are called the children of the Moft 
High, from their inheritance at the resur- 
retlion, and particularly on account of 
their being adorned with immortality. 

Having thus Ihewn their ignorance of 
the true nature of a future ftate, and the 
difference between corporal and spiritual 



176 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



beings, our dear Lord proceeded to fhew 
that they were also ignorant of the Scrip- 
tures, and particularly of the writings of 
Moses, from whence they had drawn their 
objeftion : for he demonftrated, from the 
very law itself, the certamty of a resurrec- 
tion, at lead that of juft men, and conse- 
quently quite demolifhed the opinion of 
the S idducess, who, by believing the ma- 
teriality of ihe soul, affirmed that men were 
annih hted at their death, and that their 
opinion was founded on the writings of 
Moses : Now, said our Saviour, that the 
dead are raised, even Moses fJiewed at the 
bufh, when he calle.th the Lord, the God of 
Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and 
the God of Jacob. For he is not a God 
of the d"ad, but of the Living : for all live 
unto him, Luke xx. 37, 38. As if he had 
said, The Almighty cannot properly be 
called God, unless he has his people, and 
be Lord of the living. Since, therefore, 
Moses called him the God of Abraham, 
the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, 
long after these venerable patriarchs were 
dead, t!ie relation denoted by the word 
God ftiJl subniled between them: conse- 
quently ihey were not annihilated as you 
pretend, but are Hill m being, and continue 
to be the servants of the Moft High, This 
argument was conclufive ; it affeftually 
filenced the Sadducees, and agreeably sur- 
prised the people, to see the objeftion, 
hitherto thought impregnable, totally abo- 
liflied, and the s(:6l they had long abomi- 
nated, fully confuted : And when the multi- 
tude heard this they were aftonifhed at his 
dodrine Matt. xxii. 33. 

Th ugh the Pharisees had joined with 
the Sadducees. in order to put our blelfed 
Saviour to death, they could not fail of 
being pleased to see their inveterate ene- 
mies put to filence, and the famous argu- 
ment ihey had so often proposed wuh 
oltentation,, as unanswerable fully con- 
futed. Nor could they refrain from giving 
the Saviour of mankind the praise due to 
his superlative wisdom ; for one of the 
Scribes dt fired him to give his opinion, on 
a queftion often debated among their 
teachers ; namely, which was the great 
commandment of the law. The true rea- 
son for their propofing this qucftion, was 
to try whether he was as well acquainted 
with the sacred law, aud the debates that 



had arisen on different parts of it as he 
was in deriving arguments from the inspir- 
ed writers, to deftrcy the tenets of those 
who denied a future ftate. 

In order to underftand the queftion pro- 
posed to our blelfed Saviour by the Scribe, 
it muft be remembered, that some of the 
moft learned Rabbins had declared, that 
the law of sacrifices was the gn^at com- 
mandment ; some, that it was the law of 
circumcifion ; and others, that the law of 
meats and wafhings beft merited :hat title. 
Ourbleffed Saviour, however, (hewed that 
they were all miffaken ; and that the great 
conimandmtnt of the law is the duty of 
piety ; and particularly mentioned that 
comprehenfive summary of it, given hy 
Moses : Hear, 0 Israel; the Lord our God 
is one Lord : and thou fialt love the Lord 
thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy 
souL and with all thy mind, and with all 
thyjirength : this is th^ fi ft and great com- 
mandment, Mark xii. 29, 30. 

Here I cannot help observing, that thiss 
summary of piety begins with an emphati- 
cal affertion of there being only one God, 
the maker of heaven and earth, and the 
offefTor of all perfe6lions, in order to in- 
duce us to use the utmoft diligence in obey- 
ing his precepts ; the firft and chief of 
which is, to give him our hearts. The 
Divine Being is so transcendently amiable 
in himself, and hath by the innumerable 
benefits confern d upon us, such a title to 
our utmoft afi[< 6iion, that no obligation 
bears any proportion to that of loving him. 
The honour affigned to this precept, proves 
that piety is the nobleft aft of the human 
mind, and that the chief ingredient in piety 
is love, founded on a clear and extenfive 
view of the Divine perfeftions, a perma- 
nent sense of his benefits, and a deep con- 
vi6lion of his being the sovereign good — 
our portion — our happiness : but it iselfen- 
tial to love, that there be a delight in con- 
templating the beauty of the objeft brlov- 
ed, wheiher that beauty be matter of sen- 
sation or refleftion ; that we frequently, 
and with pleasure, n fl ft on the benefits 
conferred on us by the objeft of our af- 
feftions ; that we have a ttrong defire of 
pleafing him, great f ar of doing anything 
to offend him, and a senfible joy in think- 
ing we are beloved in return. Hence the 
dudes of devotion, prayer, aud praise, arc 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



177 



the moft natural and genuine exercises of 
the love of God : nor is this virtue so much 
any fingle affeftion, as the continual bent 
of all the affeftions and powers of the 
soul ; consequently to love God is as much 
as poflible to direft the whole soul towards 
him, and to exercise all it's faculties on 
him as it's chief objeft. 

Accordingly, the love of God is des- 
cribed in Scripture, by the several opera- 
tions of the mind, a following hard after 
God, namely, by intense contemplation ; 
a sense of his perfeftions, gratitude for 
his benefits, truft in his goodness, at- 
tachment to his service, refignation to 
his providence, the obeying of his com- 
mandments, admiration, hope, fear, joy, 
&c. not because it confifts in any of those 
lingly, but in them altogether : for to con- 
tent ourselves with partial regards to the 
Supreme Being, is not to be affefted to- 
wards him in the manner we ought to be, 
and which his perfeftions claim. Hence 
the words of the precept are. Thou Jhalt 
love the Lord thy God -with all thy heart, 
and with all thy soul, and with all thy 
mind, and with all thy Jirength ; that is, 
with the joint force of all thy faculties ; 
and, therefore, no idol whatsoever muft 
partake of the love and worftiip that is due 
to him alone. But the beauty and excellen- 
cy of this ftate of mind is beft seen in it's 
elfefts ; for the worfhip and obedience 
flowing from such an universal bent of the 
soul towards God, is as much superior to 
the worfliip and obedience arifing from 
partial confiderations, as the brightness of 
the sun is to any pifture that can be drawn 
of that luminary. Thus, for example, if 
we look upon God, only as a ftern law- 
giver, who can and will punifh our rebel- 
lion, it may, indeed, force an awe and 
dread of him, and as much obedience to 
his laws as we think will satisfy him, but 
can never produce that conftancy in our 
duty, that delight in it, and that earneft- 
ness to perform it in it's utmoft extent, 
which are produced and maintained in the 
mind, by the sacred fire of divine love, or by 
the bent of the whole soul turned towards 
God ; a frame that conftitutes the higheft 
perfeftion and happiness of the creature, 
and, therefore, the moft excellent that 
can be conceived, and the moft to be de- 
fired. 

No. 8. 



We fliould always earneflly defire to be 
blefled with the presence of the Moft High, 
our souls fhould pant after him, as the hart 
panteth after the water-brooks, and even 
thirft for the Living God. Again, this 
commandment requires us to fear God ; 
and certainly we cannot love the Lord our 
God, unless we fear and reverence him : 
for as the love, so the fear of God, is the 
sum of all the commandments, and, in- 
deed, the subftance of all religion. If we 
acknowledge there is a God, it is but rea- 
sonable we Ihould fear his eflential great- 
ness and glory ; for you open a paflage for 
a deluge of villany and wickedness, if you 
take away the fear of a Deity, and that of 
a Supreme Power, that can reward and 
punifh the aftions of men. 

It is not enough that we love and fear 
the Moft High, we muft also call upon the 
name of God in our prayers and praises : 
love and fear respeft the inward worfhip 
of God in our hearts, and by this aft of 
outward worfhip, we give an express 
teftimony that we love and fear him : 
prayer and praises are the tribute and ho- 
mage of religion, by the one we acknow- 
ledge our dependance upon God, by the 
other we confess, that all our blefhngs and 
comforts are from him. Such, therefore, 
as neither pray to God nor praise him, 
cannot be said to have a God, for they 
acknowledge none, but are gods to them- 
selves ; and as the love and fear of God 
are often used in Scripture for his whole 
worfhip and service, so is this calling upon 
his name ; Pour out thy fury upon the 
Heathen that know thee not, and upon the 
families that have not called upon thy namCj 
Jer. X. 25. 

But to return. — Our blefled Saviour 
having thus answered the queftion put to 
him by the Scribe, added, that the second 
commandment was that which enjoined 
the love of our neighbour. This had, in- 
deed, no relation to the lawyer's queftion 
concerning the firft commandment; yet 
our bleffed Lord thought proper to fhew 
him which was the second, probably be- 
cause the men of his seft did not acknow- 
ledge the importance and precedency of 
love to their neighbours, or because they 
were remarkably deficient in the practice 
of it, as Jesus himself had often found in 
their attempts to kill him : And the second 
Ww 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



is like unto it, Thou Jhalt love thy neighbour, 
as thyself. 

Our natures muft be brought to a temper 
that is all love and goodness, if we would 
become like God, who is love ; and if our 
souls dwell in love, then we dwell in God, 
and God in us. This principle will be 
also fruitful in every good work ; it will 
make us readily perform the duties of all 
relations in which we ftand : and because 
love worketh no ill to his neighbour, there- 
fore it is the fulfilling of the law ; for it 
will prompt us to a cheerful and ready 
performance of every office, whether of 
juftice or charity, that we owe to our 
neighbour : all the beft things we can do, 
if deftitute of this principle, will appear to 
be either the effetft of hypocrisy, or done 
to procure the efteem of men : without 
love, a narrowness of soul will (hut us up 
within ourselves, and make all we do to 
others only as a sort of merchandize, tra- 
ding for our own advantage : it is love only 
that opens our hearts to confider other 
persons, and to love them on their own 
account, or rather on account of God, who 
is love. 

Those who poffess the efFefts of this ex- 
cellent temper, well deserve our confidera- 
tipn : they have a conftant calm within, 
and are not difturbed with paffion, jealousy, 
envy, or ill -nature : they observe and re- 
joice in the happiness of others, they are 
glad to see them easy, and fhare with them 
in their joy and felicity, not fretting or 
complaining, though they enjoy less than 
their neishbours. It is true, love has a 
very different efFe6l ; for the same temper 
will render many so confiderate of the mis- 
fortunes of others, as to sympathize with 
them in their di-ftress. and be greatly affeft- 
cd with such objefts of compaffion as it is 
not in their power to affift : but there is a 
real pleasure even in this compaffion, as it 
melts us into the greateft tenderness, and 
proves us to be men and Chriftians. The 
good man, by the overflowings of his love, is 
sure that he is a favoui'ite with his Maker, 
because he loves his neighbour : his soul, 
therefore, dwells at ease ; there is a sweet- 
ness in all his thoughts and wiffies : this 
makes him clear in his views of things ; 
Xio vapours, no clouds darken him, but an 
inward serenity reigns in his mind, and 
such a liveliness in all his thoughts, as 



spreads a cheerfulness in his looks, and 
renders him grateful to all about him. 

A conftant dispofition for prayer, is also 
maintained in him who has this charitable 
temper: a calm mind is eafily recollefted ; 
but nothing diffipates the thoughts more', 
and renders them less fixed and attentiv^ 
than paffion. A charitable man, who haS 
had occafions to forbear and forgive 
others, and to return good for evil, dares, 
with an humble affiirance, to lay claim to 
mercy and pardon : for though he is ready 
to acknowledge, he is many talents in- 
idebted to his Maker; yet being of a for- 
jgiving temper, he has an argument to 
plead for mercy and forgiveness, and to 
conclude that much will be forgiven him, 
because he loveth muck. There is such a 
! likeness and sympathy between the spirit 
of love, and the spirit of true devotion, 
that they have a senfible influence upon 
each other, and the one will rise or fall ia 
proportion to the other. 

But to return from this digreffion, which 
we flatter ourselves has not been disagreea- 
ble to the reader, we fhall go back to the 
Scribe, who was aftoniffied at the juftness 
of our Saviour's decifions, and answered, 
that he had determined rightly, fince there 
is but one Supreme God, whom we mull 
all adore ; and if we love him as much as 
we are able, and without a rival, and out 
neighbour as ourselves, we worffiip him 
more acceptably than if we sacrifice to him 
all the cattle upon a thousand hills. And 
our Lord declared, that the person who 
made this reflexion, was not far from the 
kingdom of God, and highly applauded 
the piety and wisdom of it. 

During the course of our Saviour's 
nifl:ry, the Pharisees having proposed to 
him many difficult quefl;ions with an in- 
tention to prove his prophetical gifts, he 
now, in his turn, thought proper to make 
a trial of their fl^ill in the sacred writings. 
For this purpose, he afked their opinion of 
a difficulty concerning the Mcffiah's pedi- 
gree : What think ye of Chrijt? Whose son 
is he ? They say unto him, the son of Da- 
vid, Matt. xxii. 42. I know, answered 
Jesus, you say, Christ is the son of Da- 
vid ; but how can you support that opi- 
nion, or render it confident with the words 
of David, who himself calls him Lord ; 
and how is he his son ? It seems, that the 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



Jewifh do6lors did not imagine that their 
Mefliah would be indued with any per- 
feftions greater than those that might be 
enjoyed by human nature ; for though 
they called him the Son of" God, they had 
no notion that he was God, and therefore 
could not pretetid to solve the diffi- 
culty. 

The latter queftion, however, might have 
convinced them of their error ; for if the 
Meffiah was only to be a secular prince, as 
they supposed, and to rule over the men of 
his own time, he never coiild have been 
called Lord, by persons whb died before 
he was born : far less would so mighty a 
prince as David, who was also his pro- 
genitor, have conferred on him that title. 
Since, therefore, he not only rules over 
the vulgar dead of former ages, but even 
over the kings from whom he was himself 
descended, and his kingdom comprehends 
the men of all countries and times, paft, 
present, and to come ; the do6tors, if they 
had thought accurately upon the subjeft, 
fhould have expefted in their Meffiah a 
king different from all other kings what- 
ever: befides, he is to fit at God's rip-ht- 
hand, till all his enemies are made his foot- 
fiool. Numbers of Christ s enemies are 
subjeft to him in this life ; and they who 
will not bow to him willingly, fhall be re- 
duced by punifhment, like the rebellious 
5ubje61s of other kingdoms. 

He returned such clear and solid answers 
to the ensnaring queflions of his adversaries, 
that they gave the people an high opinion 
of his wisdom ; and fhewed them, how far 
superior he was to their moft renowned 
Rabbins, whose arguments to prove their 
opinions, and answers to the objcftions 
which were raised againfl him, were, in 
general, very weak and trifling : nay, his 
foes themselves, from the repeated proofs 
they had received from the prodigious 
depth of his underflanding, were imprefl'ed 
with such an opinion of his wisdom, that 
they judged it impoffible to entangle him 
in his talk, Accordingly, they left off at- 
tempting it, and troubled him no more 
with their infidious queflions from that 
day. 

Ourbleffed Saviour filenced his mofl 
virulent opposers by this means ; but having 
mentioned the final conqueft and deff rac- 
tioa of his enemies, who were to be made 



his footflool, agreeable feo the predi6lion 
of the royal Psalmift, he turned towards 
his disciples, and in the hearing of the 
multitude, solemnly cautioned them to be- 
ware of the Scribes and Pharisees ; infi- 
nuating thereby, who the enemies were 
whose deflruction he had mentioned : The. 
Scribes and the Pharisees, said he,^t in 
Moses' seat : all therefore whatsoever they 
bid you observe, that observe and do ; but da 
not ye after their works : for they say, and 
do not, Matt, xxiii. 2, 3. While they teach 
the dc6lrines before delivered by Moses, 
observe all they say, but by no means 
imitate their praftices ; for they impose 
many precepts on their disciples, which 
they never perform themselves : For they 
bind heavy burdens, and grievous to be 
borne, and lay them on men s fhoulders ; but 
they themselves will not move them zuith one 
of their fngers, But all their works they 
do for to be seen of men. The difficult 
precepts they impose on others are never 
regarded by these hypocrites, and any good 
aftion they may happen to perform, is 
vitiated by the principle from whence it 
proceeds : they do it only with a view 
to popular applause, and not from a regard 
to God, far less ff om a love of goodness l 
they are proud and arrogant to excess, as 
is plain from their affefted gravity in their 
clothes, from the anxiety they discover, 
lefl they fhould not obtain the principal 
seats in the public aflemblies, and from 
their affefting to be saluted in the flreets, 
with the sounding titles of Rabbi and Fa- 
ther : They make broad their fhylaEieries, 
and enlarge the borders of their garments, 
and love the uppermojt rooms at feajlsy and 
the chief seats in the synagogues, and greet" 
ings in the markets, and to be called of men. 
Rabbi, Rabbi. 

The proper meaning of the word Rabbi, 
is great, and it was given to those men 
who had rendered themselves remarkable 
for the extent of their learning ; it is there- 
fore no wonder that the proud and super- 
cilious Pharisees were so fond of a title, 
which gave them great authority with their 
disciples, and highly complimented their 
underftandings. 

But our Lord s followers were to decline 
this title, because the thing fignified by it 
belonged solely to their Mafter, in whom 
are hid all the treasures of wisdom and 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



knowledge ; and because they owed no 
part of their knowledge to themselves, but 
derived it entirely from him who came 
down from heaven : But be not ye called 
Rabbi : for one is your Majier, even Chriji : 
and all ye are brethren. And call no man 
your Father upon the earth : for one is 
your Father, which is in heaven, Matt, xxiii. 
8,9. Life, with all it's bleffmgs, comes 
from God, and men wholly depend upon 
him ; all praise and thankfulness, therefore, 
Ihould ultimately be referred to him ; so 
that if any one teacheth rightly, not the 
teacher, but the wisdom of the Almighty is 
to be praised, which exerts and communi- 
cates itself by him. 

The disciples of our blelTed Saviour 
ivere likewise enjoined not to accept of 
the title of mafier or leader^ which the 
Jewifh do6lors also courted ; because in 
point of commiffion and inspiration they 
were all equal : neither had they any title 
to rule the consciences of men, except by 
virtue of the inspiration which they had re- 
ceived from their Mafter, to whom alone 
the prerogative of infallibility belonged : 
Neither be ye called majier s :for one is your 
Majler, even Chriji. 

However, our blelTed Saviour did not 
intend by this to infmuate, that it was fin- 
ful to call men by the ftations they held 
in the world ; he only intended to reprove 
the fimplicity of the common people, who 
loaded their teachers with praises, and for- 
got to ascribe any thing to God ; and to 
root out of the minds of his apoftles, the 
Pharisaical vanity, which decked itself with 
honours belonging solely to the Creator of 
the universe. Accordingly, that he might 
inftil into their hearts humility to dispose 
them to do good offices to one another, as 
occafion offered, he alfured them, it was 
the only road to true greatness : for, by 
affuming what did not properly belong to 
them, they fhould be despised both by God 
and men ; whereas, they fliould enjoy a 
high degree of the divine favour, who did 
not disdain to perform the meaneft offices 
of love to their brethren. 

The Scribes and Pharisees were greatly 
incensed at the above discourses ; and, as 
they were pronounced in the hearing of 
many of that order, it is therefore no 
wonder that they watched every oppor- 
tunity to deftroy him : but this was not a 



time to put their bloody defigns in exe- 
cution ; the people set too high a value on 
his doftrine to suffer any violence to be 
offered to his person; and, as this was 
the laft sermon he was ever to preach 
in public, and as all his mild persuaiions 
had hitherto proved ineffedual, it was rie- 
ceffary, that he ffiould now use some se- 
verity. 

He accordingly denounced in the moft 
solemn manner, dreadful woes againft 
them, not on account of the personal in- 
juries he had received from them, but on 
account of their exceffive wickedness. 
They were public teachers of religion ; 
and therefore ffiould have used every 
method in their power to recommend it's 
precepts to the people, and to have been 
themselves ffiining examples of every duty 
it enjoined : but, on the contrary, they 
abused every mark and charafter of good- 
ness for all the purposes of villany ; and, 
under the cloak of a severe and san6lified 
aspe6l, they were malicious, implacable, 
lewd, covetous, and rapacious : in a word, 
inflead of being reformers, they were the 
corrupters of the people, and consequently 
their wickedness deserved the greateff re- 
proof that could be given by the great 
Redeemer of mankind : Wo unto you. 
Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye JJiut 
up the kingdom of heaven againji men : for 
ye neither go in yourselves^ neither suffer ye 
them that are entering, to go in. Wo unto 
you. Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites ! for 
ye devour widows houses, and for a pretence . 
make long prayers ; therefore ye fkall receive 
the greater damnation. Wo v ntoyou, Scribes 
and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass 
sea and land to make one proselyte, and 
when he is made, ye make him twofold more 
the child of hell than yourselves. Matt, 
xxiii. 13, &c. 

You ffiall suffer a puniffiment that will 
be terribly severe, because ye have given a 
wrong interpretation of the ancient pro- 
phecies concerning the Meffiah, and done 
all that is in your power to hinder the 
people from repenting of their fins, and 
believing the gospel ; because you have 
commited thegroffeft iniquities, and, under 
the cloak of religion, have devoured the 
subflance of widows and orphans, hoping 
to hide your villanies by long prayers : 
because ye have expreffed the greateft zeal 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



' 181 



imaginable in making proselytes, not with 
a view to render the Gentiles more wise 
and virtuous, but to acquire their riches, 
and a command over their consciences ; 
and inftead of teaching them the precepts ' 
of vijtue and the moral duties of re- , 
ligion, you confine their duties to su- j 
perftitious and ceremonial inftitutions, i 
and hence they often relapse into their 
oM ftate of heathenism, and become 1 
more wicked than before their conver- 
fion, and consequently liable to a more 
Severe sentence. 

Our Lord also mentioned, in a partic- 
ular manner, their doftrine concerning 
oaths ; and declared, in oppofition to their 
abominable tenets^ that every oath, if the 
matter of it be lawful, is obligatory; be- 
cause, when men swear by any part of the 
creation, it is an apj^eal to the Creator 
himself; for, in any other light, an oath 
of thiskindis absolutely ridiculous, the 
objeft having neither knowledge of the 
fafl, nor power to punilh the perjury : 
Wo unto you, ye blind guides, tdhicfi say. 
Whosoever Jhall swear by the temple, it is 
nothing ; but whosoever Jhall swear by the 
gold of the temple, he is a debtor ! Ye fools 
and blind, whether is greater, the gold, or 
the temple that sandijieth the gold 9 And, 
Tvhosoevcr JJiall swear by the altar, it is no- 
thing: but whosoever swear eth by the gift 
that is upon it, he is guilty! Ye fools and 
blind, for whether is greater, the gift, or the 
altar that sanBifieth the gift ? 14 ho so there- 
fore fhall swear by the altar, sweareth by 
it, and by all things thereon. And whoso 
fhall swear by the temple, sweg/reth by it, 
and by him that dwelleth therein. And he that 
fhall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne 
of God, and by him that fitteth thereon. 

Our blelTed Saviour also upbraided them 
■with their superftiiious praftices, in obser- 
ving the minuteft parts of the ceremonial 
precepts of the law, and at the same time 
utterly neglefting the eternal and indispen- 
sable rules of righteousness : Wo unto you, 
Scribes and I harisees, hypocrites I for ye pay 
tythe of mint, and anise, and cummin and 
have omitted the weightier matters of the law, 
judgement, mercy, and faith : these ought ye 
to have done, and not to leave the other 
undone. 

The Son of God also took notice of 
their hypocrisy : for they spared no pains 
No. 8. 



to appear virtuous in the eyes of the worldy 
and maintain an external conduft that 
fhould require the praises of men ; but, 
at the same time negle6led to adorn their 
souls with the robe of righteousness, which 
is the only ornament that can render them 
dear in the fight of their Maker : Wo unto 
you. Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites ! fur 
ye make clean the outfide of the cup and of 
the platter, but within they are f ull of 
extortion and excess. Thou blind Phaiisce, 
cleanse firft that which is within the cup 
and platter, that the outfide of them may 
be clean also. Cleanse hrit thy mind*' thy 
inward man, from evil dispc fuions ai.d 
affections, arid thy outward behaviour 
will of course be virtuous and praise- 
worthy; ^ 

Our dear Lord also animadverted upon 
the success of their hypocn>y : they de- 
ceived the fimple and unthinking part of 
mankind, with their pretended sanctity, 
appearing like whited sepulchres, beautiful 
on the outfide, while their internal parts 
were full of uritlfeaririess \JVo unto you ^ 
Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites ! for ye] are 
like unto whited sepukhfes, which indeed 
appear beautiful outwdrd) but are within 
full of dead mens' bones ^ and. of all unclean* 
ness. Even so ye also outwardly appear 
righteous unto nidn, but within ye are full 
of hypocrisy and iniquity. 

He also censured them for the pains they . 
had taken in adorning the sepulchres of the 
prophets, because they pretended a great 
veneration for their memory, and even 
condemned their fathers who killed them, 
saying, that if they had lived in the days 
of their fathers, they Would have opposed 
such monftrous wickedness ; while, at the 
same time, all their aftions abundantly 
proved, that they flill cherilhed the same 
spirit they condemned in their fathers, per* 
secuting the meffengers of the Moft Highj 
particularly his only begotton Son, whom 
they were determined to deftroy : Wo unto 
you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites ! be- 
cause ye build the tombs of the prophets, 
and garnifJi the sepulchres of the righteous, 
and say, If we had been in the dcys of our 
fathers, we would not have been partakers 
with them in the blood of the prophets* 
Wherefore ye be wiineffes unto your selves, 
that ye are the children of them which kiUed 
the prophets. 

X X 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



Our blefled Saviour added, that the Di- 
vine Being was defirous of trying every 
method for their converfion, though all 
these inftances of mercy were flighted ; 
and therefore, they mufl expe6l such 
terrible vengeance, as fhould be a Handing 
monument of the divine displeasure againft 
all the murders committed by the sons of 
men, from the foundation of the world. 

Thus having laid before them their hei- 
nous guilt and dreadful punifhment; he 
was, at the thought of the calamities which 
were soon to fall upon them, exceedingly 
moved, and his bread filled with sensations 
of pity to such a degree, that, unable to 
contain himself, he brake forth into tears, 
bewailing the hard lot of the city of Jeru- 
salem ; for as it's inhabitants had more 
deeply imbrued their hands in the blood of 
the prophets, they were to drink more 
deeply of the punifhment due to such 
crimes : 0 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that 
killeji the prophets, and, Jioneji them which 
ar e sent unto thee ; how often would I have 
gathered thy children together, even as a hen 
gathereth her chickens under her wings, and 
ye would not ! Behold, your house is left 
unto you desolate. 

This exclamation of the benevolent Re- 
deemer of mankind, is such as can hardly 
be read without a tear, and conveys a 
very ftrong idea of his love for that un- 
' grateful nation. How often had the Al- 
mighty called upon them to return from 
their evil way, before he sent his only 
begotten Son into the world ! How often, 
how emphatically did the compaflionate 
Jesus entreat them to embrace the mer- 
ciful terms now offered them by the Al- 
mighty ! And with what unconquerable 
obftinacy did they refuse the benevol nt 
offers, and refifl the m' fl winning expres- 
lions of the divine love! By the word 
house, our bleffed Saviour meant the 
temple, which was from that time to be 



left unto them desolate ; the glory of the 
Lord, which Haggai had prophefied fhould 
fill the second house, was now departing 
from it : adding, / say unto you, ye [hall 
not see me henceforth, till ye Jhall say, 
Blejjed is he that cometh in the name of the 
Lord. As if he had said. As ye have 
killed the prophets, a.nd ffoned them whom 
the Father hath sent from the courts of 
heaven, and will fliortly put me, who am 
the Lord of the temple, to death ; your 
holy house fhall be left desolate, and your 
nation totally deserted by me ; nor fliall 
you see me any more till the whole na- 
tion is converted to Chrillianity, when all 
the descendants of Jacob fliall, with one 
voice, cry out, Blejfed is he that cometh in 
the name of the Lord, as the multitude 
lately did. 

In this manner, the blefTed Jesus ftripped 
the Scribes and Pharisees of their hypo- 
critical mafli. He treated them with seve- 
rity, because their crimes were of the 
blackeft dye ; and hence we fliould learn 
to be really good, and not flatter ourselves 
that we can cover our crimes from that 
piercing eye to which nothing is concealed^ 
with the cloak of hypocrisy. 

At these discourses, the people could not 
fail of being affoniflied, as they had always 
confidered their teachers as the moft righ- 
teous among the sons of men ; nay, the per- 
sons themselves, againft whom they were 
levelled, where confounded, because their 
own consciences convinced them of the 
truth of every thing laid to their charge. 
They, therefore, knew not what course 
to pursue ; and they let Jesus depart 
without making any attempt to seize him 
or infli6l on him any kind of punifhment* 
being prevented from putting their wicked 
purposes in praftice, until the work was 
finifhed for which he was sent of his Father 
into the world to do. 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



CHAPTER XXX. 



Christ valueth the poor Widow* s two Mites above all the gifts of the rich: He fore- 
telleth the Deftruaion of the femple ; fheweth what Signs and Calamities fhould go 
bfore, and what fiould happen at the time oj his coming : He delivers the Parable 
of the ten Virgins ; and of the Talents, which a King dijlributed among his Servants, 
to he improved by them : and in a third Par able ^ delivered at the same Time, he gives a 
Description of the loft Judgment. 



AFTER our dear Lord had exposed 
the secret praftices of the Scribes 
and Pharisees, he repaired with his disci- 
ples into the court of the women, called 
the treasury, from several cherts being 
fixed to the pillars of the portico surround- 
ing the court, for receiving the offerings 
of those who came to worlhip in the 
temple. While he continued in this court, 
He beheld how the people cajl money into the 
treasury : and many that were rich cajl in 
much. And there came a certain poor 
widow, and fhe threw in two mites which 
make a farthing. And he called unto him 
his disciples, and saith unto them. Verily I 
say unto you, that this poor widow hath cafl 
more in, than all they which have caft into 
the treasury : for all thy did cafi in of their 
abundance ; but fhe of her want did caji in 
all that Jhe had, even all her living. Mark 
xii. 41, 42, 43, 44. ^ 

This poor widow's offering was, in 
itself, very small, yet, in proportion to 
the goods fhe enjoyed, it was remarkably 
large ; for it was all Ihe had, even all her 
living. In order, therefore, to encourage 
charity, and (hew that it is the dispofition 
of the mind, not the magnificence of the 
offering, that attrafted the regard of the 
Almighty, the Son of God applauded this 
poor widow, as having given more in pro- 
portion than any of the rich. Their of- 
ferings, though great in respeft of hers, 
were but a small part of their eftates, 
whereas, her offering was her whole ftock. 
And from this paffage of the gospel, we 
(hould learn, that the poor, who in ap- 
pearance are denied the means of doing 
charitable offices, are encouraged to do all 
1 they can ; for how small soever the gift 
j may be, the Almighty, who beholds the 
heart, values it, not according to what it 
is in itself, but according to the dispofition 



with which it is given. On the other 
hand, we fhould learn from hence, that it 
is not enough for the rich, that they exceed 
the poor in their gifts of charity, they 
fhould beftow in proportion to their for- 
tune ; and they would do well to re- 
member, that a little given, where a little 
only is poffeffed, appears a much nobler 
offering in the fight of the Almighty, and 
discovers a more benevolent and humane 
temper of mind, than a greater sum out of 
the abundance of the rich. 

Our Lord having declared, at the con- 
clufion of his pathetic lamentation over 
Jerusalem, that the temple fhould not any 
more be favoured with his presence, till 
they fhould say, Bleffed is he that cometh in 
the name of the Lord : which declaration 
greatly surprised his disciples ; and, there- 
fore, as he was departing from that sacred 
flrufture, they defired him to observe the 
beauty of the building, infinuating, that 
they thought it ftrange he fhould intimate 
an intention of leaving it desolate ; that so 
glorious a fabric, celebrated in every corner 
of the earth, was not to be deserted rafhly ; 
and that they fhould think themselves su- 
premely happy, when he, as the Meffiah, 
and descendant of David, fhould take pos- 
seffion of it, and ereft his throne in the 
midft of Jerusalem : And as he went out of 
the temple, one of his disciples saiih unto 
him, Mafier, see what manner oj Jlones, 
and what buildings are here ! The eaftern 
wall of the temple, which fronted the 
Mount of Olives, whither the disciples, 
with their Mafter, were then retiring, was 
built from the bottom of the valley to a 
prodigious height, with flones of an in- 
credible bulk, firmly compafted together, 
and, therefore, made a \try grand appear- 
ance at a diftance. This eaflcrn wall is 
supposed to have been the only remains of 



i84 



LIFE, OF JESUS CHRIST 



JRolomon's temple, and had escaped when 
the Chaldeans burnt it : but this building, 
however coft y or ftrong it appeared, our 
Saviour told them - fliould be totally de- 
ftroyed : Secjl thou, said he, these great 
buildings ? There Jhall not be left one Jlone 
updn another, that fiall not be thrown down, 
Mark xiii. 2. 

This venerable ftruftufe which you be- 
hold with wonder, adorned with huge 
(tones ( f amazing beauty, fhall be razed 
to the very loundati' n. The disciples, 
therefore, when they heard their Mafler 
affirm, that not so much as one of these 
enormous ftones, which had mocked the 
fury of Nebuchadnezz r's army, and sur- 
vived the ( eitruftive hand of time, was to 
be left one upon another, they perceived 
that the whole temple was to be di molifhed, 
but did not suspe6l that the sacrifices were 
to be taken away, and a n w religion in- 
troduced, which rendered the temple un- 
necelTary. They, therefore, flattered them- 
selves, that the fabric then Handing, how- 
ever glorious it might appear, was too 
small for the numerous worfhippers who 
would frequent it, when all the nations of 
the world were subjeft to the MefTiah's 
kingdom, and was, therefore, to be pulled 
down, in order to be ert 6t( d on a more 
magnificent plan, suitable to the idea they 
had conceived of his future empire. Filled 
with these pleafino imaginations, they r< - 
ceived the news with plea ure, meditating^ 
as they walke i to the mountam, on the 
glorious things which were fhortly to come 
to pass. 

As soon as they arrived at the Mount 
of Olives, an(^ their Mailer had taken his 
seat on some eminence, from whence they 
bad a prospe6l of the temple and part of 
the city, his disciples drew near, to know 
when the demoliti n of the old ftrufture 
was to happen, and what were to be the 
figns of his coming, and of the end of the 
world : And as he sat upon the Mount oj 
Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, 
saying, Tell us, when Jhall these things be F 
and what Jhall be the Jign oJ thy coming, 
and of the end of the world? Matt, 
xxiv. 3. 

It is probable the disciples meant what 
figns fhould precede the ereftion of that 
extenfive empire, over which they sup- 
posed the MelTiah was to reign ; for they 



flill expefted he would govern a secular 
kingdom* They, therefore, connefted the 
demolition of the temple with their Mailer's 
corning, though they had not the leafl 
notion that he was to deftroy the nation, 
and change the form of religious worfhip. 
They, therefore, meant by the end of the 
world, or, as the words fliould have been 
trarflated, the end of the age, the period of 
the political government then executed by 
Heathen procurators, and confidered their 
Mailer's coming to deftroy the conftiiution 
then subfifting, as a very defirable event : 
they also thought the demolition of the 
temple proper, as they expefted a larger 
and more superb building would beerefted 
in it's ftead. in proportion to the number 
of the Meffiah's subjefts. 

It will sufficiently appear, that this is 
the real sense of the disciples quefiion, if 
we confider, that they were delighted with 
the prospeft ; whereas, if they had meant 
by the end of the w; rid, the final period 
of all things, the deftruftionof the temple 
would have exhibited to them a melancho'y 
prospe6t, which they could not have be- 
held, without a deep concern, in their pre- 
sent temper of mind. 

Therrfore, our blelfed Lord was careful 
to convince them of their miftake, by tel- 
Img them, that he was i^iot come to rule a 
secular empire, as they ^supposed, but to 
punilh the Jews foV their perfidy and re- 
bellioUj by deftroying both their temple 
and nation : Take heed, said he, that no 
man deceive you. For many fhall come in 
my name saying, I am Chriji, and fhall de* 
ccive many This caution was far from 
being unneceffary, because, though the 
disciples were to see their Matter ascend 
into heaven, they might take occafion 
from the prophecy, to think that he would 
appear again on earth, and, therefore, be^ 
in danger of seduction by the false Chrifts 
that fliould arise : And when ye Jhall hear of 
wars and rumours of wars, see that ye l)e 
not troubl d ; for all these things mufl come 
to pass ; but the end is not yet, Before this 
nation and temple are deftroyed, terrible 
wars will happen in the land ; For nation 
fhall rise againf nation, and kingdom agawfi 
kingdom ; arid there fhall be Jamines, and 
peJtiUnces, and earthquakes , in divers places. 

These things are but the beginning of a 
long series of calamities, which fhall fall 



AND LIVES HIS APOSTLESr- 



18^ 



upon this nation : at the iamc time you 
iliail rae&t with liot perlccLiiions ; ^vali; 
therefore, cireumfpe^iiy, and arm your- 
felves boili with patience and fortitude, 
that ye may be able to perform your duty, 
throu'^h the whole courf'e of thefe perlc- 
cutions ; for you ii^all be brought before 
the great men of the earth for my fake : 
But zuhrii they Jhalt lead you and deliver 
you up, take no tkought before hand znhat ye 
faall Jpeak, neither do ye premeditate : but 
zchciijoever Jhdl be given you in that hour, 
that /peak yc ; for it is not ye thatfpeak, but 
i/ie Holy Gh ft, Mzrkxui.'' 11. 

Gur Lord told them, during this time 
of trouble and confuhon, the perfidy of 
mankind (hall be [o great towards cr.e ano- 
ther, that brotlier fidl betray the brother to 
death, and the father the fon ; and children 
pull rife up againf their parents, and jhall 
caufe thevi to be put to death. The unbe- 
lieving Jews and apoltate Ghriilians, {hall 
commit fuch crimes, that the very idea of 
which lhall excite horror in the inoft bar- 
barous nations. It is, therefore, no won- 
der that the perfidy and wickednefs of 
fuch pretended Chriflians, fhall difcourage 
many difciples, and greatly hinder the 
propagation of the gofpel : but he who 
i'upports his faith during thefe perfecuT 
lions, and is not led aftray by the feduc- 
tion of falfe Chriftians, fnall efcape that 
terrible deRru6iion, which will overflow 
'the land like a deluge. 

My difciples fhall be fcattercd by thefe 
perfecutions and tribulations, and fhall 
preach the gofpel in all parts of the Ro - 
man empire ; and then fhall the period 
you now enquire after arrive : then fhall 



the viiffl of- it depart out, Luke y.rdi. 21, 
Let lam wliich is on the houjc-top, not come 
dozen to take any ihivg cid of his lioufe : 
neither let him uehich is in the field, return 
back to take Ills clothes, Matt. xxiv. 17, 18. 
For the Almighty will now punifh this na- 
tion for it's fins ; thefe are the days of his 
vengeance, v.dien all the threatenings of 
the prophets, efpQcially thofc cf Daniel, 
fhall be inflicted on this obfiinate and re- 
bellious people. 

'1 he women who are v.-iih child, and 
they who have infants hanging at their 
breafis, fhall be particularly unhappy in 
thofe days of vengeance, becaTife they can- 
not Oee from the impending deflruftion ; 
But pray 'ye that your flight be ont in the 
winter, v.'hen the badnefs of the roads, and 
the rigour of the feafon, will render fpce- 
dy travelling very troublefome, if not im- 
poilible ; neither on the Sabbath-day, v;hen 
you fhall think it u claw fill ; /or then fiall 
be great tribulatio/i, fuch as was not fince 
the beginning cf the zoorld to this time, no 
nor ever fhall be. - 'i'his is confirmed by 
what Jole-phus tells us : for he fays, " that 

no lefs than eleven hundred thcufand 
" periihed in the fiege." 

Our dear Lord added, that except thefe 
days of tribulation fhould be fhortened, 
none of the inhabitants of Jerufalem and 
Judea, of whom he was then fpeaking, 
fhould ei'cape deflrufclion. And accord- 
ingly Jofephus tell us, that the quarrels 
which raged during the fiege, were 
fb herce and obfiinate, both within the 
walls of Jerufalem, and without in the 
neighbouring country, that the v.'hole land 
was one continued (bene of horror rmd 



the Almiighty arife to vengeance, and con- defolation : and had the fiege continued 



fume, in his anger, this ItiiF- necked gene 
ration. 



much longer, the v/hoie nation of the 
Jews had been totally deflroyed, accor- 



At the time when Jerufalem fnall be ding to our Lord's preditfion : ^2^/, ad- 
furrounded with armies, Pagan armies, jded our blefled Savicur./or Mc' e/ci^fj-y^Z/^d", 



bearing in their flandards the ijnages of 
their gods, the abomination of clefolaXion, 



zvhom he hath chofen, he hath fiortened tht 
days. ■ By the cleft are meant, fuch of the 



mentioned by the prophet Daniel ; then Jews as had embraced the dodrines of 
let him v/ho readeth the predictions ofjthe gofpel, and thofe v/ho were brought 
that prophet underfland, that the end of in with the fulnefs of the Gentiles parii- 

cularlv. 

During this time of univerfal confufion,- 
it was natural to thi;)k, that the expefla- 
tions of the whole nation would be turned 
towards their Mefliah ; for if he was ever 



the city and fan6luary, together with the 
ceafinsr of the facrifice and oblation there 
predifted, is come, and, of courfe, the h- 
nal period of the Je\vi[h government. 

Then let them which arc in Judea fee to 
ihi mountains ; and Id them zvh-ch are z.'z !to appear, it muif be then, to deliver them •■ 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



from impending dellruftion. Our bleffedrwliich fhould precede, the deftruftion of 
Saviour therefore cautioned his difciples j Jerufalem, he next defcribed that cata- 
not to liftenio any pretences of that kind, jitrophe itfelf, in all the pomp of language 
as many falfe Chrifts would arife, and de- land imagery made ufe of by the ancient 
ceive great numbers of the people. A s prophets, when they foretold the deftruc- 
prediftion that was fully accomplifhed tion of cities and kingdoms : But in thofe 
during the terrible fiege of Jerufalem by days, after that tribulation, the funfaatlbe 
the Romans : for Jofephus tells us, that darkened, and the vioon Jhall not give her 
many arofe pretending to be the MelTi- light, and the Jitirs of heaven Jhall J all, and 
ah, boaftingthat they would deliver the the powers that are in heaven fiall be Piaken. 



And upon the earth dijlrefs of nations, with 
perplexity ; the fea and the waves roaring ; 
mens hearts failing them for fear, and for 
looking after thofe things which are coming, 
on the earth. 

Thefe exprelfibns are figurative and" 
lofty, ::nd fignify the decaying of all the 
glory, excellency, and profperity of the 
nation, and the introduftion of univerfal 
fadnefs, mifery, and confufion. The roar- 
ing of the fea and the waves muftjuRly be 
confidered as metaphorical, as the figns 
in the fun, in the moon, and in the (lars 
are plainly fo. And by the powers of 
heaven are meant the whole Jewifli poli- 
ty, government, laws, and religion, which- 
were the work of heaven ; thefe our blef- 
fed Saviour tells us fifbuld be fhaken. 
i As the difciples, in conformity to the re- 
peated queftions of the Pharifees during 
his miniilry, had asked what would be 
the figns of his coming. Our blelfed 
Saviour told them, that after the tribula- 
tion of thofe days, when the fun fhould 
be darkened and all the enemies of the 
Mefliah fhould mourn, they fhould fee 
the accomplifhment of what Daniel fore- 
told, by the figurative expreffion oithe 
Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven ; 
for they fhould behold the frgnal pun- 
iihments executed on the Jewiih nation. 



nation from all it's enemies. And the mul- 
titude, always too prone to liften to de- 
ceivers who promife temporal advantages, 
gave credit to thofe deceivers, became more 
obPcinate in their oppofition to the Romans, 
and thereby rendered, their deflru6lion 
more - fevere and more inevitable. And 
what flili increafed the infatuation of the 
people,, was their performing wonderful 
things during the war ; and accordingly 
Jolephus calls them magicians and force- 
rers. Hence v/e fee the propriety of the 
caution given by the Son of God, who 
foretold, that they fiould fww great fgns 
and wonders ; infomuch that, if it werepos- 
fible, they would deceive the very eled,. 
But take ye heed : behold I have foretold 
you all things. 

But as it was likely the partizans of the 
falfe Chrifls would pretend that the Mef- 
fiab was concealed awhile for fear of the 
Romans, and the weaker fort of Chrifl- 
ians, without this warning, might have 
imagined, that Chrifl was atlually return- 
ed to deliver the nation in it's extremity, 
and to punifli their enemies, who now fo 
cruelly oppreffed them, and that he would 
fhew himfelf as foon as it was proper, 
our bleffed Saviour thought it needful to 
caution them againft this particular : 
Wherefore, if they Jhoidd fay unto you. Be- 
hold, he is in the defert ; go not forth : be-\by the Roman armies fent for that end 
hold, he is in the fecret chambers ; believe it\hy the fon of man, who fnall thus glo- 
not. For as the lightning covieth out of the\x\Q>u{\j demonftrate the greatnefs of his 
Eafi., and fiineth even unto the Wejl ; /ol power, and the extent of his dominion : 
fhall .afo the coming , of the Son of man beAEhen fnall appear the fgn of the Son of 
Matt .Kxiv.. 2.6,27, . ynian in heaven : and then fiall all the 

As lightning is fwift and {[^^x\iBi\^&\tribes of the earth mourn.' And they fiall 
fo Paall the coming of the Son of man be. j fee the Son of man coming in the clouds of 



But he will not come perfonally, his fer 
vants only fhall come, the Roman armies, 
who fhall deflroy tliis nation, as eagles 
devour their prey, by his command. 

Thus having given them a particular 
accQunt of the various circumflances 



heaven, vnth power and great glory '. 

The difciples were to coniider the 
time of their redemption, from the oppref- 
fion under which they then groaned, as 
near at hand when thefe things came to 
pafs : and that they might be certain 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



this prophecy would not long wait for 
it's accompli'rhment, he told them that 
the prelent generation fliould not all 
laid in the chambers of tlie dull, before 
thefe terrible calamities fhould fall upon 
Adding, 



as he had dlrcded. Thus we fee whai; 
frivolous objections are made by the free- 
be ! thinkers of our ac^e, a";ainft the truth of the 
facred writings, and how eafily they arc 
anfwered. And L cannot help obferving, 



Jerufalem. Adding, ihat his dilciples j that this conduft of the R.oman general, 
might fooner expccl the dilfolution of i fo contrary to all the rules of prudence, 
the whole frame of nature, than that one I mufl: have been 



brought to pafs by 



lingle circurnRance ohhis prophecy Ihould ! providence of God, who interpofed 
fairofit's accomplilhment : Verily I fay the deliverance of the difciples in 
unto you, This generation Jhali not pafs, 
till all t/iife fJimgs be f ulfJled. Heaven and 
earth flmll pafs away, but my' words fiall 
not pafs away. 

if we take the pains to compare the 
pteditlion of our Saviour with the hiftory 
Jofephus wrote of the war, we cannot 
fail of being ftruck with the wifdom of 
"Christ, and acknowledging that his 
prediftion was truly divine. For as the 
Jewifh nation was at this time in the 
moft flourifhing ftate, the event here fore- 
told was altogether improbable. Be- 
hdes, the circumllances ol the deRruCtion 
are very numerous and furprifingly par- 



the 
lev 
this 



the- 
Sa- 



manner. 

Having given this defcription of 
de{lru6lion of Jerufalem, our bleffed 
viour enumerated a great variety of par- 
ticulars that were to precede or accompa- 
ny it, alluring his difciples, that it would 
be very unexpected, and thence urged the 
neceiliiy of a watchful vigilence, left they 
fhould ' be furprifedj and have a fhare in 
thefe trrible calamities '. But as the days 
of Noe were, fo fiall alfo the coraing of 
the Son cf man be. Matt. xxiv. 37. Wa.tck 
\e therefore ; for ye know not when the 
mafler oj the houfe cometh ; at evsn) or at 
midnight, or at the cock-crowing, or in 
and the= whole deliyered with- the morning ; leji coining suddenly hefindj 
ambiguity. 



Ir is therefore a 



ticular 
out any 

prophecy of fuch a kind as could never 
have been uttered by any impollor, and 
confeqiiently the perfon who delivered 
it, was truly divine, and acquainted \vith 
the fecret counfels of heaven. 

But it has been demanded with fome 
affurance, by the enemies to revelation, 
why (hould Christ order his difciples 
not to flee from Jerufalem, till they faw 
it encompalfed with the P^oman army, 
when it would then be imp-olfible for them- 
to make their efcape ? But perfons, be- 
fore they propofe fuch queftions, would 
do wel) to read attentively the hiftory 
Jofephus has given us of thefe terrible 
calamities : becaufe they would there 
find a folutiori of that difficulty. That 
hiftorian tells us, " That Ceftius Galliis, 

iurrounded the city whh his army, and 

at the time when he could cahly have 
" taken the city, fuddenly withdrew his 
" forces, without any apparent reafon. 
He adds, '•' that as foon'as the hege was 

raifed, many eminent Jews lied from it, 
"_as from a finking fiiip." In all proba- 
bihty many of thefe were Chriftians, \vho 
being warned by this prophecy of their 
great Mafler, fa ved themielves by fli 



you feeping, Mark xiii. 35, 36 

As men v»-ere to undergo, at the de- 
ftruclion of Jerufalem, nearly the same 
miferies, arid as the palTions which it's ap- 
proach would raife in their minds were 
iimilar to thofe which will happen at the 
deftrutlion of the world and the general 
judgment ; it was natural for our blelTed 
Saviour, on this occahon, to put his difci- 
ples in mind of that judgment, and to ex- 
hort them to the faithful difcharge of their 
duty, from the confideration of the fud- 
dennefs of his coming to call every indi- 
vidual to account after death : Therefore 
be ye alfo ready ; for in fuch an hour, as 
ye think not, the Son of mn.n cometh^ • Who 
then is a faithful and, zvife forvant, whom 
his Lord hath made ruler over his hou/chold, 
to give them meat in due feason ? Bleffed 
IS thai fervant, whom his Lord, when he 
cometh,- fiall fnd fo doing..- Verilv I fay 
unto you, that he /hall make him ruler over 
all his goods. As if he had faid,^ you who 
are the minifters of religion, ought to be 
particularly careful to discharge the im- 
portant traft committed to your care : you 
are the flewards to whofe care the Avhoie 
houfehold of the church is committed ; 
I and vou vrould do well to remember, that 



i8S L I F E O F J E S U S C H Pv I S T 

your example v.nll Iiave a great efiPeft upon ' of glory be likened unio ten virgins xohich 
the minds of thofe employed under you. j took thdr lamps and ■w:nt forth to iiisst the 
It is your duty to be well acquainted with \^brid.egroom: And five of tliem xvcre xoise, 
the (lores of the evangelical truths, ■^wd.'.and five, were foolifi ; thty that zo:re foo- 

///7z, as a prool of their ilupidiiy, took in- 
deed their lamps, but put no oil in their 
veflels, while the wife, as an initance of 
their prudence and forefight, took both 
their lamps and oil in their vefiels, know- 
ing that it was- uncertain Vv'hen the bride- 
groom would arrive, and that they might 
in all probability, v/ait long for his com- 
ing. Nor were they miftaken, for the 
bridegroom did not comiC fo foon as they 



expected : And xuhih he tarried they all 
f umbered and ftpt, and od midnight there 
zvas a cry made, Behold the bridegroom 
Cometh, go ye out to ViV.et him. Then all thof 
virgins arofe, and trimmed their lamps. 
And the fooliflifoM unto the zofe, Give us 
of your oil, for our lamps are gone out. But 
the wife anfwcred, faying^ J^Jct fo, tcf there 
be not enough for us and you : but go ye 
rather to them thod sell, and buy jor your- 
selves. And while they w:nt to buy iiic 



heart, My Lord delayeth his coming ; and 
fnall begin to fniite his fellowfervants, and 
to eat and drink zoiih- the drunken; the 
Lord of that frvant fkall come in a day 
zohen he lookdh not for him, and in an 
hour that he is not aware of, and fkall cut 
him af under, and appoint him his portion 
with the hypocrites : there fkall be zoeeping 
and gnafiing of iedk^: 

Having thus mentioned the rewards 
and puniihments c^f a future ftate, it was 
eafy and elegant for our Lord to pafs 
from that fubjecl to the confi deration of 
the general judgment ; when thofe< re- 
wards and puniihments fliould be diftri- 
buted in their utmod extent. This could 
not fail of animating his difcipies to a 
vigorous difcharge of theirduty ; and, by 
the ftriking reprefentation of the laft 
judgment here given, rauft greatly tend 
to roufe the confciences of men ,from 
their lethargy, and confider, before it be 
too late, the things which belong to their 
fieace. 

Then fkall the kingdom of heaven, the 
gofpel-kingdom, in the lail difpenfation 
of it, when the kingdom of grace is go- 



to underdand how they may be applied 
to the bed advantage : you (hould alf ) be 
careful to know the characters of the 
different perfons under your direftion, 
that you may be able to give every one of 
them his portion of meat in due feaibn : 
and if I find you thus employed at my 
coming, I will reward you with the joys of 
my kingdom, even as an earthly mafler 
beflows particular marks of refpefton fuch 
fervants as have been remarkably faithful 
in any important trufl:. But, on the other 
hand, if you behave like unjuft flewards, 
who, becaufe their Lord delayeth his com- 
ing, abufe their fellow fervants, and riot in 
excefs !. if you tyrannize over the confci- 
ences of your brethren, negle6i; the duties 
of your funftion, and ^^ive yourfslves up to 
fenfuah plcafures, I will come upon you 
unexpeftedly, and make you dreadful ex- 
amples of mine anger, by the fevere pun- 
iihments which I will inflift upon you : bridegroom came; and they that were ready 
But and if that evil fervmt fkall fay in his \ went in zvith him to the rmrriage : and the 

" door was fiut. Afterzoard came alfo the 
other virgins scrying., Lord, Lord, open un- 
to us. But he anfwered, and f aid, Verily I 
say unio you, I know you not. Watch there- 
fore ; for ye knozv neither the day nor the 
hour wherein the Son of man comdh. 

To underRand this parable aright, we 
mult remember that it alludes to the cus- 
toms of marriages among theeailern peo- 
ple. It was ufual with them for the 
bridegroom to bring his bride home in 
the evening, fooner or later, as circum- 
ftances might happen ; and that {he 
might be received properly at his houfe, 
his female acquaintance, efpecially thofe 
of the younger fort, were invited to 
come and wait with lamps, till fome of 
his retinue, difpatched before the reff, 
informed them that he was near at hand : 
upon which they trimmed their lamps, 
v/ent forth to welcome him., and conduCt 
him with his bride into the houfe ; for 
which they vrere honoured as guefts at 
the marriage-feafl, and fhared in the fef- 
tivities. 

Our bleffed Saviour compares the can- 
didates for the kingdom of heaven, to ten 
fuch virgins : he mentions ten, becauJe 



lag to be (wallowed' up in the kingdom 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



this was the general number appointed to j forth; and all- \vill then begin to think 
■svait on the bridegroom ; and to thefe, \ how they may prepare themfelves to hnd 
all Chri[lian profeifors may be likened, , admittance to the marriage-fupper ot the 
vrho, taking the lamp of the Chriftian pro- ; Lamb : Then all those mrgins aro/e, and 
feffion, go forth to meet the bridegroom ; '^trimmed their lambs. But the foolHh foon 
that is, prepare themfelves as candidates ; perceived their folly their lam.ps were 
for the kingdom of heaven, and defire to gone out, totally extinguilhed, and they 
be admitted into the happy manfions of, had no oil to fuppcprt the fiame : in like 
immortality, with CHRibT, tlie cccleltial ! nianner, the hypocrite's hope (hail perhh. 
Bridegroom. { But the wife were in a niuch happier 

The cafe of ChriPdans is reprefented \ condition ; they had oil in their velfels 
to us by this of the virgins, half of whom i iufficient for themfelves, but none to 
onlv Vv'ere wife, the other half being fool- ; fpare : for when the foolhh virgins would 
if}i. And we mufl remember, that there ; have procured fome from them, they 
ah'/avs was, and always will be, a mix- ; denied their requefl, fearing there would 
ture of good and bad in the church, till ' not be enough for both 



the great day of feparation arrives. The 

weaknefs of the foolifli is reprefented by 



We have here a reprefentation of no- 
minal and fmcere Chriftians ; the former 



their taking no oil in their veiTels with ■ havmg only the bare lamp of a profelTionj 
their lam,ps ; that is, the foolilh Chrif-jhave neglected to live agreeably to the 
tians content themfelves with the bare \ precepts and examples of their Mafler, 
lamp of a profelfion, and never think of | and have not been folicitous to gain the 
furnifhing it with the oil of divine grace, ; oil of divine grace, by a conftant ufe of 
the fruit of which is a life of holinefs. ! the means aifigned ; thofe who have been 
Whereas the wife, well knowing that a ; contented with a mere negative righteouf- 
lamp, without the iuppiy of oil, would ^ nefs, with fuch a juftice and honefty as 
be fpeedily extinguiihed : that faith, ' Heathens boailed of, to whcfe charge no 
without love and holinefs, w'lW be of no heinous crimes can be laid, while at the 



confequence, take care to fupply them- 
felves with a fufficient quantity of the di- 
vine grace, and to difplay in their lives, 
the works of love and charity. While 



fame time no good can be fpoken of, as an 
effect of their faith ; and fuch will fare like 
the foolifli virgins : while the latter, whofe 
vvile conduct and zealous endeavours to 
all thofe virgins, though differently fup- ! ftock their lamps with divine oil, will, lik« 
plied, waited the coming of the bride-' 
groom, they all flumbered and ilept ; 
that is, all Chriflians, both good and bad. 



the wife virgins, enter into the joy of their 
Lord. 



Thofe that were foolifh, going to pur- 
the fincere and the hypocrite, all lie down ' chafe oil, miffed the bridegroom., and be- 
together in the deep of death : and while \ hold the door zvasjhut. Thev at laft how- 
the bridegroom delayeth his coming 
flumber in the chambers of the duff. 
There is a tradition among the Jews, 



^, ever, reached the gate, and with great im- 
portunity cried Lord, Lord, open unto 
us. But he anfwered, and faid, vsnly, I 

are 



that Christ's coming tojudgraent will I fay unto you, I know you not. You 
beat midnight, which agrees with that ■ ff rangers to me : you did not attend mc 
part of the parable. At Tdidnight ^A5r(? j at my coming, and now the door is niut. 



was a cry made, Go y: out to meet hint. 
But however this be, vrhether he will 
Gome at midnight, or in the morning, it 
will be awfully fudden and alarming ; the 
great cry will be heard to the ends of 



and entrance for ever denied ; depart 
from me all ye workers of iniquity. 

Therefore, ho\v' jufl'y did our bleffed 
S-iviour bid us all watch, that we may be 
found ready whenever he cometh, or com- 



the earth : the trumpet fnali found, and j raands, by the king of terrors, our attend- 
the mighty archangel s voice pierce even I ance before his judgraent-feat. Let us not 
to the bowels of the earth, and the depths ; refufe this kind in's itation of being con- 
ofihe ocean: Behold the bridegroom com-: llnnily prepared to- meet the heavenly 
eth, go ye out to meet him. All. that are ' Bridegroom : let us fill our lamps with oil' 
m the graves mufl then awal;e, and come i that we mav be ready to follow our crreaf- 

■ Y v 



19© 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



Mailer into the happy manfions of the no him, We 'I done, thou go and faithf ul 
heavenly Canaan. I feruant ; ihouhajl been Jaithfd over a few 

However, as this duty was of the utmoft ; things, I will make thze ruler over many 
importance, our bleffed Saviour, to ihew j things ; enter ihouinto the 'joy of thy Lord, 
us more clearly the nature and ufe of j In like manner alfo, he that had received 
Chriflian watchfulnels, to which he ex- { two talents, declared he had gained two 
horts us at the conclufion of the parable of others : upon which he was honoured 
the ten virgins, he added another, wherein \ with the fame applaufe, and admitted 
he represented the different charafters of, into the fame joy with his fellow-fervant: 
a faithful and (lothful fervant, and the dif- ' their mailer having regard to the induf- 
ferenceof their future acceptance- This try and hdehty of his fervants, not to the 
parable, like the former, is intended to ftir number of the talents only, and thegreat- 
us up to a zealous'preparation for the i nefs of their increafe. 
coming of our Lord, by diligence in the | Then he that had received the one ta- 
difcharge of our duty, and by a careful , lent, came, and with afliamefclfalfelhood, 
improvement ot our fouls in holinels ; j to excufe his vile indolence, faid, Lord, I 
and, at the fame time to expofe the V3t^\n \ knew thee, that thou art an hard man, 
pretences of hypocrites, and to dtmon-^^re aping where thou haft not f own, and 
ilrate, that fair fpeeches and outward gathering where thuo h f notf razeed : aiid 
form, without the power of godlinefs,' 
will be of no fervice in the lad great day 
of account. 



/was afaid, and went and hid thy talent 
in the earth : lo, there thou haft that is 
thine. This difhonourable notion, whic 



The Son of man^. with refpeft to his the fervant entertained of his Lord, great- 
final coming to judge the world, may be | ly aggravated his crime ; and, according- 
likened unto ^ wii/t irat^^/Zm^ into a y^r ly, his Lord was wroth, and anfwered, 
country, loho called his own Jerv ants, and j Thou wicked and fothjul fervant thou knczo- 
ddivered unto them his goods. And unto \ e/l, that I reap where If wed not, andgath- 
one hs gave jive talents, to another two, and j^r w'lere I have not fir awed : thou ought- 
to another one ; to every man according to ' cji, there f re, to have put my money to the 
his fever al abilities ; and fraightway took exchangers, and then at my coming, Ifould 



his journey 

He that had received the five talents 
loll no time, but went immediately, on 
his mailer's departure, and traded with 
the lame, and his increafe was equal to 
his indullry and application ; he made 
them other five talents. He that had re- 
ceived two talents, did the fame, and had 
equal fuccefs. But he that received one^ 
very unlike the conduft of his fellow-fer- 
vants, went his way, digged in the earth, 
and hid his Lord's money, idle, ufelefs, 
unemployed, and unimproved. 

But after a long time, and at an hour 



have received mine own with ufury. Take 
therefore the talent from him, and give it 
unto him that hath ten talents. For unto 
every one that hath jhall be given, and he 
jhall have abundance ; but from him that 
hath noti Jhall be taken away even that 
which he hath. And caji ye the unprofita- 
ble fervant into outer darknfs ; there fhalt 
be weeping andgnafdng of teeth. 

This was the parable of the talents, as 
delivered by ourblelTed Saviour; a para- 
ble containing the meafures of our duty 
to God, and the motives that enforce it, 
all delivered in the plainett and fimplell 



when they did not expeft it, the Lord of: allufion : but it's views are fo extenfive 



thofe fervants returned, called them be 
fore him, and ordered them to give an ac- 
count of their feveral trulls. Upon which 
he that had received five talents, as a 
proof of his fidelity, produced other five 
talents, [a.y'mg, Lord thou deliveredfi unto 
me five talents : behold I have gained befi.de 



and affefting, that while it inllru6ls the 
meanefl; capacity, it engages reverence and 
attention from the greatefl, and llrikes 
an iraprellion on the moll improved un- 
derilanding. We are to confider God 
as our Lord and Mailer, the author and 
giver of every good gift, and ourfelves as 



them five talents more. His Lord, highly his fervants or ilewards, who, in various 
applauding his induHry and fidelity, faid j inllances and meafures^ have receives^ 



AXD LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



from ins gooclneP fLich bleffings and abil-'of our talents, but on our diligence and 
ities, as may fit us f r the Icvcrai ftations i application in the management of them : 
and offices of life to which liis provi- fo that the moral defign of thii parable, is 
dence appoints us ; but then v,e are to to engage our utmoft attention, to ini- 
cbferve, that thele are committed to us prove iuch talents as cur heavenly Fa- 
as a truftor loan, for v;lio(c due man>ige- , ther has thought proper to beftow upon 
ment we are accountable to the donor, us. By thefe talents are principally meant 
If we faithfully acquit ourfeb es of this the communications and graces of the 
probationaiv charge, we lhall receis e far LIcl}' Spirit, which God beflows in dlf- 
greater inflances of God's confidence and ferent measurei, dividing io r:ay man 
favour; but if we are remils and negli- fcvtraiiy as he zcill. And fubordinate to 
gent, we mult expect to lecl his refent- these, are all the means, opportunities, 
ment and difpleafurc. jand abilities to exercise or improve thefe 

A time will come, and how near it may 'graces ; all the advantages oi lialion, for- 
be, none of us can tell, when our great tune, education, and whatever m.ay ena- 
Mafter will demand a particular account b!e us to do good: for we, having received 
of ever}' talen: he haih commiiicd to our : all we enjoy frcm God, are flricc^y obli- 
care. This time raay, indeed, be at adif-:ged to promote the wife ends for which 
tance, for it is uncertain when the king of ^ he beftows his favours. And here let us 
terrors will receive the av;ful warrant to i take a ihcrt and imperfect \"iew of v/hat 



terminate our exnlence here below; yetjGod has done for us : he has given us rea- 
come, and our eternal ifon and underftanding, to difcern sood. 



h will certainly 



happinefs or miferv depends upon it ; fo 
that we uiould have it continually in 
our thoughts, and engrave it, as with the 
point of a diamond, on the tables of our 



from evil, and to enquire into the caufes, 
relations, and confequences of things, to 
collecf from them proper rules of judg- 
ment and acfion. Indeed, fiPxe the fall, this 



hearts. But this is not all we are to jfaculty has been much obfcured ; but flill 
Jearn from this ir.ftruftive parable; the jit remains an univerfal gift of God to men; 
Divine Author has ad-ipted every incident 'and though not equal to all, yet it is gi- 
of the relation to convey fome fpiritual in- ' 
ftruclion. We hence learn, that Lifinite 
Wiidom hath intruded men with differ- 
ent talents, and adjuiled them to the va- 
rious purpofes of human life. But 
though the gifts of men are unequal, 



none can, with juflice, complain, hnce how to be happy : fuch afliftances of di 



ven to every mian in fuch meafure, as is 
fufficient for their direction. In the know- 
ledge of our dutv, and the purfuit of our 
happinefs, God has, by the gofpeJ, fb gra- 
cioufly fupplied the defefts of rcafon, that, 
the meaneft underftandine; may know 



whatever is beftowed, be it more or lefs, 
IS a favour entirely unmeriied. Each 
then fhould be thankful, and fatisfied with 



vine grace attend every Chrillain, if he 
will apply to God for it, as may enable 
him to direct his inclinations, govern his 



his portion ; and, inflead of envying the] paffions, and fubdue his corrupt affedions. 
more liberal endowments of others, apply Thefe talents are, in fome degree, com- 



himfelf to the improvements of his own 
And it fhould be attentively obferved, 
that the difficulty of the tafk is in propor- 
tion to the number of talents committed 
to each . He who had received five, was 
to gain other five ; and he who had re- 
ceived two, was to account for other two. 
Surely then, we have no reason to com- 
plain, if our Mailer has laid on us a light- 
er burden, a more eafy and lefs fervice 
than what hs has on others ; efpecially 
as our intereff, in the favour of the Al- 
mighty, does not depend on tlie number 



mon to all men ; and, by the improve- 
ment of that grace which is conferred on 
every one, all have fufficient to conduct 
them through the feveral flages of life, if 
they will ule but proper diligence and 
application. 

But regard muft be had to all the 
means for cultivating thofe gifts of nature 
and grace, fuch as all opportunities of in- 
ftruclion, the miniftry, ar.d oidinances of 
religion, the reprools and examples of 
good men, the occafions offered, and the 
abilities given for the exercife of virtue: 



2gt 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



all these are talents or gifts of God, de- 
pofited with us, to be diligently made ufe 
of, and for which we are accountable to 
him. I {hall, therefore, proceed to Ihew 
what duty is required from us, in the im- 
provement of thefe talents. It is here 
luppofed that thefe talents are improve- 
able, or otherwife they would be of no ufe 
or value ; and, indeed, we are bound by 
the command of God to improve them, 
who has threatened to infli6l fevere pe- 
nalties if we negle£]: it : and, if they are 
not improved, they will not continue long 
with us, but be loft ; the fineft parts and 
capacities, without proper culture, will 
make but a mean and contemptible fi- 
gure. No knowledge can be preferved 
without ufe and exercife, and the fame 
holds with regard to moral accomplilh- 
ments. It requires great care and atten- 
tion to form a virtuous habit, and much 
jTiore to preferve it in it's vigour : unlefs 
we co-operate v/ith the goodnefs of God's 
grace, and culdvate it by ufe and appli- 
cation, its impreffions will gradually wear 
out and be loft : The Spirit of God will 
not always Jirive zoitli mm. He gives us 
a ftock to manage, equal to the fervice he 
expefts from us ; but if we are ftothful 
and negligent, and will not apply it to 
the purpofes for which it was given, he 
Y/ill recall the ufelefs gift : Take from 
him, fays he, tfie talmt, and give it to 
him, that hath ten talents. Let us, there- 
fore, diligently improve every talent com- 
mitted to us, becaufe this will be r€quired 
of us in the day of account, and, if not 
improved, will be immediately taken 
from us ; Vv'hatthis improvement implies, 
and how we may difcharge this duty, is 
an inquiry of the neareft concern to us. 
The proper improvement of all God's 



to gratify our curiofity or our vanity, we 
are not ferving God, but ourfelves ; we 
may increafe our portion of God's out- 
ward gifts, but if we only apply them to 
enlarge our own conveniences, we are 
not making the improvements our Mafter 
expefts : we may take pleafure in our 
knowledge and fortune, rejoice in them 
as our portion and inftrummts in our 
prefent polTeffion ; but we muft ftill re- 
member, that in our reckoning with God, 
all thefe improvements of our capacities 
and abilities, will be added to our ac- 
count ;. and the only ufe God will admit 
us to fet in balance of our debt to him, is 
to employ them as means of increahng 
and multiplying our virtues, or as inftru- 
ments of exerciiing them in the works of 
religion and piety. 

From this parable we may learn, that 
the divine juftice, in this fcrutiny, will 
eftimate and reward every one's fidelity 
in proportion to the improvements and 
returns they have made. An account 
will be demanded of every talent ; nor 
will it be fufficient, that we have made 
fome improvement, it muft be propor- 
tional to the number and value of our 
giftSi Let us therefore live and a6l un- 
der a ferious habitual regard to that 
day, when- our great Mafter ftiall come 
and reckon with us ; remembering that 
luch as have been idle, and made no 
ufe of the talents given them by the 
Almighty, will be caji into outer dark- 
nefs ; there Jliall be weeping and gnajhing 
of teeth. A profpeft furely fufficient 
to awaken fuch from their Dumber, 
quicken them to an immediate and vi- 
gorous applicatioR to duty ; that by a 
double improvement of the time yet re- 
maining, they may redeem what their in- 



gifts, is the employing them, fo as may dolence has loft. But far worfe, and 
beft promote his glory : this is the end more difficult to be retrieved is his cafe 
the Almighty has propofed in our crea-jwho has fquandered away the ftock itfelf, 
tion, in all the powers he has endued us ifuffered his gifts to perifti for want of 
with, and in ail the aids of grace he has ufe ; or by abufing them to the fervice 
vouchfafed to us. Whatever other im- of fin, has provoked the Almighty to 
provements we make of them, they will 'take them from him. 



not profit us, nor be admitted as any 
proof of our fidelity in the day of reckon- 
ing : we may cultivate our underPcanding 
by learning and ftudy, and extend oar 
knowledge through all the fubje6ls of 
human inquiry j but if our end be only 



How fhall the prodigal recal the for- 
tune he has fpent and appeafc the anger 
of his Judge P The terrors of the Lord 
may juftly terrify him but it fliould not 
extinguilh his endeavours in defpair : he 
has loil many excellent talents, but he 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



193 



he who gave can rc ilorc Indeed, the mofl 
circumfpeel perfon will, in the great day of 
account, want much to be forgiven ; and 
muftexpcc! liis reward from th^e mercy ol 
his judge, not from th.e merit of his fcrvice. 
Let us tiien do all in oar pov\-cr to bring- 
forth fruits meet for repentance : for 
though the awful day of ihe Lord may be 
at a great difUmce, yet the time allotted us 
to prepare for it, is limited by the (hort 
fpace of human lifs : the night of death 
comeih when no man can work : to-diiy, 
therefore, while it is called to-day, let us be 
ddigent in the work of the Lord, corrc6l 
our errors, and finifh what is imperfecl, 
that we may obtain his approbation, 
and make our calling and e!e6fion fure, be- 
fore we go hence, and are feen of men no 
more, 

\Yc have endeavoured to explain the pa- 
rable of the talents after this manner, and 
fhall now return to the third parable deliv- 
ered at the fame time by the blefled Jesus, 
siamely, that of the lafl judgment ; 
When the Son of man, fa id he, JJmU come in 
his glory, and all the holy angels zoith him, 
then fiiall he fit upon the throne of his glory : 
and before him fiall he gathered a!l nations : 
and he fiiall fepar ate them one from ariciher, 
as afJicpherd dividtih his fJiecp from the goats: 
and he fJia'l fet the fiecp on hds right hand, 
but ihe goats on . the left, Matt. xxv. 31, 32, 

S3- . . ' ' 

It is common in the Old TePcament to 

compare good men to Oieep, on account of 



who arcacquiitcd at that day, fhsl! be ac- 
quitted 1 b I el y o n a c c ou n t of the rig I j t cou f. 
nef^ of CniM ST, the true, the only merito- 
rious caufe, as well' Heathens as Chriflian.'f. 

Who can read the follov;ing Icntenco 
paficd upon the rightcou';, wi{;K)ut feeling 
the warmefl love and {n-atiiudc to the "reat 
Author of all f{Ood ; and wliat a noble mo- 
tive to perleverance m v.^li-doing does it 
afford : Come, ye hUffcd children of my la- 
ther, inherit th^ kingdom prepared for you 
from ihe foundaticn of thz ivorld. Good 
men can at befl but confider their prefent 
Hate as a banifhment from their native coun- 
try, A ftate in which they arc often ex- 
pofed to innumerable temptation^?, to pcr- 
fecutions, to poverty, to reproach, to con- 
tempt. But the confideration that they are 
travelling towards the heavenly Jerufalem, 
a city prepared for them, when the foun- 
dations of tlie world were laid, v/ill be a- 
bundantly furficient to fupport their fpirits 
and render them more than ccnqucrors. The 
glory laid up for them in the manlions of 
eterniiy, and which the great Judge will, at 
the awful day of account, confer upon them, 
Vv'ill animate them to bear the violence of 
their opprefl rs, and even defy the malice 
of m.en and devils. Nay, they will behold 
with contempt tlie flourifhing profperity of 
the wicked, and look forward to that glori- 
ous and immortal crown which will be gi- 
ven them by their great Redeemer. I'hen 
fliall the King fay unto them on the right 
hand, Come, ye hie [fed children of viy father. 



their innocence and uiefulnefs ; and wicked j inherit ihe kingdor,i prepared for you frcm 
men to goats, for \}vlC\x ^Y.\\ox\i\i'diX\l\\i^^}^the foundation of il^^^ 1 'ccas an 

i'-k..„ i,i„n„j c.-..: however, does not pur- hungered, andyegave me meat : I icas thirsty 

and ye gave vie drink : I vjcis a fir anger, 
and ye took me ni : naked, and ye clothed me. 



Our blefled Saviour, 
fue the allegory further, but defcribes the 
remaining, and indeed the greatefl part of 



this awful fcene in terms perfedly hmple ; was fick, and ye vifited niz : I was in pri- 
io tlT;at,though the fenfe be profound, it is i fen, and ye came unto me, Matt. xxv. 34, 35, 
. obvious. Here the judgment of all nations, 135. 
Gentiles as well as Chrifiians, is exhibited : I Being aftonifhed to hear the great Judge 
and the particulars of v;hich thefe awful tri- 'declare, that all the good ofhees they have 
als are to proceed, difplayed by the great | ever done to their bretlic^'en in aftliHion 
Judge himfelf. Here we learn that we ! was done to hin^, they afk with great reve- 
Ihall be condemned or acquitted, acccr- rence and humility, when they performed 
ding as we have neglcBed or performicd thefe fervices ? as they never faw him in 
works of charity ; works which flow from | want, and therefore could never aOifl him : 
the great principles of faith and pieiy, and jlo?-^ tvhen faw we thee an hungered, andfcdi 
which the very Heathens are, by the' light \ thee? or thirpy and gave thee drink? Wlicnfaw 
of nature, invited to perform. But we \we thee dfirangcr, and fookthec in P cr na- 
mufl not underfland, that fuch works me- Iked, and cloutficd thee ? Or when fw we thee 
iited' this favor ficm ihe Judge ; no, al] [fick, or in prifon, and came unto thee ? Ami 

A a a 



194 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRI ST, 



the kingJJiidl anf joer and fay unto them. Veri- 
fy I fay unto you, inofmuclv as ye have done it 
unto one of- the leaft of thefc my brethren, ye 
have done it unto vie. This is truly aftonilh- 
ing! The united wifdom of men and angels 
could never have diTcovered a more pro- 
per method to convey an idea of the 
warmth andforce of the divine benevolence 
to the Ions of men, or offe r a more forcible 
motive to charity, than that the Son of God 
liimfeif (houid, from his feat of judgment, 
in the prelence of the whole, race ot man- 
kind, and. all: the holts ofblcffed fpirits 
from the courts of heaven, declare that all 
good offices done to the afflifted, are done 
to himfelf. During the time of his dwel- 
ling with human nature in this vale of tears, 
lie iuiiered uafpeakablc' injuries and ailiic- 
lions ; and tlierefore he conhders all the 
diftreOed virtuous, as members of his body, 
Joves them with the utmofi tendernefs, and 
is fo greatly interelled in their welfare, that 
he grieves when they are diltrelfed, and re- 
joices v/hen they are happy. 

Perhaps in this reprefentation of the laft 
judgment, it may feem ilrange that the in-, 
quiry ihould folely turrion the performance 
of duties, without any regard to the com- 
jTjillion of crimes. Perhaps the true reafon 
•is, that men, generally fpeaking, conftder 
the neglecl ot duties as a matter of *no great 
conlequence, but dread the commitfion of 
crhnes. And hence it happens, that while 
they keep themfelves free from the latter, 
ihey eafily. find excufes for the former. 
And as there is not a more pernicious error 
with regard to religion and morality than 
this,. the bleffed Jesus thought proper to 
-give fuch an account of the judgment, as 
Ihould prove the mod. folemn caution a- 
^ainil it. But as the inquiry turns wholly 
on the pcrfor<mance of duties, it has been 
aPi'ved why the offices of chaiity only are 
mentioned, and no notice taken of the du- 
ties of piety ; though the Judge himfelf up- 
on another occafion declared thefe to be ot 
more importance than tiie duties of chari- 
fo highly applauded in this parable ? , 
But thoic who alk this qucftion, would do 
well to remember, that piety and charity 
cannot Cubrdl feparately : piety, and it's 
origin faith, always producing charity ; 
and chaiity wherever it fubufis, necelfarily 
prefuppohng piety 



ty and charity, as it will evidently appear, 
if it be rightly confidered, that no man can 
be truly benevolent, and merciful, without 
loving thofe difpofitions : confcquently, he 
muif love henevolence in God, that is, he 
mu ft love God;, for piety, or the bve 
God,' is nothiug elfe but the regard v/e che- 
rifh towards God, on account of his per- 
fe6lionSi- Piety^ and charity being thus ei- 
fentialij^ connected together, it was abun- 
dantly iufficient to examine the conduft of 
men with regard to either ot thofe graces. 
In the parable, the inquiry is reprefented as 
turning upon the duties of charily, perhaps 
becaule in this branch of goodnefs, there is 
lefs room for felf-deceit than in the other. 
It is common for hypocrites, by a pretend- 
ed zeal in the externals of religion, to make 
ipecious pretences to extraordinary piety,- 
and at the fame time are totally deficient 
in charity ; are covetous, unjufl, rapacious, 
and proud, and, confequentlyj, deftitute of. 
all love for their Creator. But none cart' 
aftume the appearance of charity, but by 
feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, 
irelievingthe diftreiTed; and performing other 
benevolent offices to their brethreiiv The 
works of charity may indeed, in fome par- 
ticular cafes, flow from other principles 
than thole of a pious and benevolent difpo- 
frtion, as from vanityi, or even views of in- 
tereft ; but - then it Ihould be remembered 
that a common degree of hypocrify wiiF 
hardly engage men to undertake them : 
they arc by far too weighty duties to be fuf- 
tained by thofe falfe principles, and there- 
fore are feldom counterfeited. Confequent- 
iy,.we may conclude, that the love of God 
reigiis in perfection, wherever a genuine, 
extenfive, and permanent charity is. found. 

Therefore, this parable teaches us, in the 
plainell: manner, that however loud preten- 
iions we may make-to piety, they will fland 
us in noftead at the awful tribunal of the 
Son of God, if we are deficient in works 'of. 
charity. At the fame time, if ire confider 
it in it's true light, it will give us no reafon 
to hope well or our 'elves, if we are v/anting 
in our duty to God ; and will fhcw us', that 
we fhould not only be charitable, but grate- 
ful ; alfo, juit, temperate^, and blamcle/s, 
in all our dealings with mankind : f or • we 
fhould remember, that the duty wc owe to 
the Almighty is no other than what is due 
Ttoe is iuch a conneciioji between pie- [from all men ia till ckcumlt-ances, and 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



m' 



which it would be nnjuft in us to neglcft. 
Ii confifls in difpofitions and a£iions, the 
Came iii kind, but different in decree, pro- 
portioHciie tb the perfc6iion of ihe objcft. 
He who loves and admires holinefs, jullice 
and truth in men, cannot but love ihefc 
per{e6"tions in God, that is, he muft love 
God : fo likev/ire, he that is truly grateCul 
to an earihly beneiatlor, cahnOt be ungrate- 
ful to one from whofe bounty he receives 
all the good things he enjoys : and fince 
ingratitude in men is nothing more than 
forgetting the benefit received, and the be- 
neiatlor who conferred the favour ; how 
can we acquit ourfelves from the charge 
ofingratitude to God, if we forget the ob- 
ho-ations we lie under to him, and are at 
no pains to return him thanks; that is, if 
we wholly negletl the oiternal and inter- 
nal exerciles of devotion. Since, therefore, 
the duty we owe to God is the fame in 
kind with that we owe to man, it will unde- 
niably follow, that true morality can never 
exill where piety is wanting ; and that a per- 
fon renders hinifelf ridiculous, who pretends 
to morality and is deftitute of piety. 

Thus having endeavoured to (hew that 
jullice and prety cannot fubfiR feparately 
from each other, I fhali now return to the 
remaining part of the parable, which exhi- 
bits a fcene enough to terrify the moll; har- 
dened fui!"ier. The awful judge himfclf 
Iras told us, that after he has pafled the 
happy fentence on the righteous, he will 
pronounce the following fentence of con- 
demnation upon the wicked : Depart from 
urn;, ye curfid, into everlaflivg fire, prepared 
for the devil and his angels : for I wds an 
hungered, and ye gave me no meat ; I was 
thirjly andyegaue me no drink ; I was ajiran- 
^fx a,nd ye to'A vie no!, iti : naked, . and ye 



cloathcd me not : fck, and in prifn, and ye 
vifitcd me not. Then Jliall they anjwer him^ 
faying. Lord, 'colien faw zoc thee an hungered 
or atliirf, or a ftr anger, or naked, or fck, ot 
in prifon, and did not r,iinifier unto thee ? 
Thenjhall he anfwtr them, frying, Verily I 
fayurdoyou, inrfmuch as ye did it not to onf^ 
(fihe leaf of thfe,ye did it not to me, Matt. 
XXV. 41 — 40. 

Our bleflcd Saviour has told us, that the 
fire of hell was prepared for the Devil and 
his angels, as well as for the v.'icked ; and 
that the kingdom of heaven was pre^ 
pared for thc^ righteous. Perhaps he in- 
tended to teach us, thit the original de- 
(ign of Omnipotence was to render man 
happy, not miferable; a flate of confum- 
mate felicity was formed for the human 
race, at the time they were created : but 
the fire of hell was prepared for the Devil 
and his 'angels immediately after their fall. 
And as wicked men join with devils in 
their fin of rebellion againfl the Almighty, 
they are doomed to fhare with them in- 
theirpunifhment ; a punilhment of the hea- 
viefl kind, a punilhment of devils. 

Our Saviour having re})refented the fen- 
tences that' are to be pafled on the righ- 
teous and the wicied, he clofed the para-, 
ble in the following manner : And thefe 
fliall go away into cverlafiifig punifiment ; 
fut the righteous into life eternal. An ex- 
jprefhon fhort indeed, but awful beyond ex- 
jpreiTioh ! And were it fully, underftood, it 
jmuft furely make an imprefhon on the 
moft hardened Tinner ; as it indicates, that, 
when the fentence is paiTed, the fcene is 
clofed for ever, and everlafting punifn- ' 
ment, or life eternal, muff be the lot of C'- ' 
very individual of the human race, • 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST, 



CHAPTER XXXI. 



Christ a^ain prctcHcth Jus oxon Dciiih ; Thz Rulers confpire ngainjl him : A Woydcm 
pouTcth prcciOLLs OiiituijiU upon ku Head : Judas covenant dh loilh the Council to betray 
his M/j/IcrJorthir!y Pieces of Silver: Peter and Jolinfent to prepare iliePaffovcr : Ci-i r i s t 
eatctfi it zvilh iJieni^ and xcaJlLeih Ivs Difaples Feet. He comjortctk tkcvi wUli the Proimfe of 
a heavenly Manjion : PkproJepWh hlnifclfihe Way, the Tlulh, and the Life: He foretel- 
Icth the Treachery of Judas, and pomteth hvni cut to John by a Token. 



F T E R c u r b 1 e ITe d S a V io u r b a (1 fi ! n i f h e d 
the before-mentioned parables, be ad- 
ded a ihort aceount of bis own deatb, in 
order to fortiiy (be difciples againll tbe 
greateft trial they bad yet met^vith ; name- 
Jy, the fuiFe rings of tl:eir Mailer : And it 
came topnfs, xehcn Pf ejus had plmJJicd all thefe 
Jayings, he /aid unio his cUfciidcs, Ye know 
that after two days is ilie fccfc of the pcfover, 
and the Son of vian is betrayed to be cracficd. 
Then ajfcvibled top-ether the cliif pncjls, and 
Tie fcribes, end the elders of the people, unto 
ihc palace of the high pnicf, tcho was called 
Caiaphas, and covfulted that they might take 
Jefus by fubtilty, and kill liini. But they 
J'aid, Not on tkejeajt'day, left there be an vp- 
7'oar avion cr the people, Matt, x x v i . i — 5 

Our blefied Saviour, with bis difciples, 
repaired to Bethany in the evening, and 
entered the houfe oi Simon the leper, 
probably one who bad experienced the 
healing' efficacy of bis power. But while 
he fat at meat, a woman, who had alfo 
doubtlefsbeen an objeel of bis mercy, pour- 
ed a box of precious ointment upon bis : 
head. This attion difpleafed tbe difciples, 1 
Avbo knew their Mafler -\vas not delighted [ 
^vith luxuries of any kind ; and therefore 
they rebuked the woman, imagining that 
it would have been niore acceptable to the 
Son ofGodjif the ointment bad been fold, 
and the money diilributed amorgft tbx- 
lons and daughters of poverty and affiic- 
tion. But their benevolent Mader laid, 
that it had pleafed the Divine Providence 
to order, that tlicre {houlcl ah^ays be per- 
ibns in neceiTitous circumftar) ces, that the 
virtuous might never v/ant occafions for 
exercibng their charily ; but that tbo!e v^bc 
did not now telbly iheir lov'e to Iiim, would 
ne\er m.ore have an cppcrtuinly of do- 
ing it, as the time of bis miniilry was near 
it's period, when ibe kiiig of terrcrs (bculd 



enjoy a fliort triumpli over bis body ; and 
tberelbrc this woman bad fcafonably ■ a- 
nointcd idm for bisj burial. And to miake 
them lenbble of their folly, in blaming the 
woman for this her token of love to him, 
he allured them, that her memory Ibould 
live to tbe latell period of tim.e, and that 
Hie (bould be highly celebrated for this ac- 
tion in every part of the world. 

But Judas Ifcariot, one of the twelve, 
having been more forward than the reli:, 
in condem.nincr the v/oman. thoudu tlie re- 
buke was peculiarly dnxfled to him. Stung 
with tbe p-uilt of bis ov^n confcience, he 
rofe from tbe table, went immediately into, 
the city, to the high-prieil's palace, v/here 
he found the whole council alfembled. His' 
paffion would not fuifer him to rcflecl on 
the horrid deed he vv'as going to commit : 
he innnedialely pronnfed to betray mto 
their bands his Lord and Mafier, for the' 
paltry rev/ard of thirty pieces of filver. 

Tlius liavino: ens:ao-ed v/itb the rulers 
or Ifrael, to put into ilieu' hands a perlon 
wbio bad been long labouring for tl:eir 
falvation, and liad often invited them in 
the moO; patlietic manner, to embrace tbe 
benevolent terms of tlie gofpel offered by 
ihe Almighty, be fougln an opportunity 
to betray him in tbe abfence of the mul- 
titude. Ye nionliers in the human form, 
hoW' could ycu plot fo deteRable a crime ! 
Surely, you iiave forgot bov/ mercy, with 
her cliarmiiig voice, fpake in all lie ut- 
tered ! How did benevolence pour her 
choiceft ftorcs in all bis aBions! Ye rulers 
of Ifrael, did ever compaffion look fb 
amiably fob., as in tbofe melting tear?, 
whicli Iwelled bis eyes and pouved down 
his cheeks, to {bFtcn your hard and t'ony 
hearts Was it pc(f blc f::r paiiencc to ai- 
futne a form fo lovel)', as thaciwei^ll/ win- 
ning;- condiid, that endured the contradic- 



AKD LIVES OF HiS APOSTLES. 



^97 



which befou^ht 



the guiky 



lion oF fmncrs 

not to die, and -intreaied the obliinate to 
be rcconciled. [ 

The apoilate Judas was thus bargaining , 
with the chief priells and elders, to betray ' 
his ^La^ler, ^vhlle the benevolent Jesus was 
preparing to celebrate the pafFovcr, before 
he luffered, sv'ih his difciples. He was now 
going to linifli the mighty work for which 
he came into the world ; and therefore 
would not neglef?. to fulfil the fmaHell: part 
of the law of Mofes. He therefore lent 
two of his difciples into the city, to pre- j 
pare a lamb and make it ready, for eating 
the pailbver ; telling them that they fhould 
meet a man^ bearing a pitcher of water, ! 
who would cordu6l them to his houfe, and 
fliew them a hirge upper room furnifhed, 
where they were to make ready for him. He | 
was willing, in this laft tranfaCiion^ to con- 1 
vince his difciples, that he knew every ^ 
thing which Oiould befall him ; that his | 
fufferings were all premeditated by the Al- 1 
mighty ; and that they were all fubmitted 
unto voluntarily, on his own account. 

As foon ^s night approached, Jesus left 
Bethany; and every thing being ready for 
him, at the time he entered into the city, 
he fat down at the appointed hour. But ' 
knowing that his fufferings were now near, ' 
he told his difciples, in the mcft affection- \ 
ate manner, that he had greatly longed to , 
eat the palfover v;ith them before he fuffer- ' 
ed, in order to fhew them the ffrongeft 
proofs of his love. The fe proofs were to ' 
give them a pattern of humility and chari- j 
ly, by walhing their feet ; intruding them 
in the nature of his death, as a propitiato- 
ry facrifice ; inflituting the facrament in ' 
commemoration of his fufferings ; com- [ 
forting them by the tender difcourfes re-, 
corded in John xiv, xv, xvi, in which he 
gave them a variety of excellent directions, ' 
together with many gracious promifes, and 
recommending them to the kmd protetiion ; 
of his heavenly father : With defire, I have , 
dejiredto eat this pajjbver with you before l\, 
fi(jfcr : fur I fay unto ynu J will not any more ' 
eat thereof, unhl it befulfi'kd in the kingdom 
of God, Luke xxii. i^. lo. ; 

After our Lord had thus.fpcken, he a- j 
rofe from the table, laidafide his garments; 
like a fervant, and, with all the ciicuoiilan- ' 
ces of an humble miniOer, waihed th;^ feet ' 
of his difciples witaout diHiiiCiion, though. 

3 



one of them, Judas Ifcariof, was a mondcr 
of impiety, that they might at once behold 
a conjuntlion of charity and lii inility, cf 
lelf-denial and indifference, reprc. nied by 
a perfon glorious beyond exprei:' m, in 
their great Loid and MaiLer. He chofe to 
wafli their feet rather ihan t- . \: '"ead, tha-- 
he might have an oppof^-mity of difplavi'-'^ 
a more humble poflu.'u\ n.nd a luoreliii- 
king inflance of his chanty. The omnipo- 
tent Son of the Father lays every thing 
afide, that he may ferve his followers ; hea- 
ven floops to earth ; one abyls calls upon 
another; and the miferies cfman, which 
were almiOfl inHnite, are exceeded by a 
mercy equal to the immenhty of the Al- 
mighty. He deferred this ceremony, which 
was a cuflomary civility paid to honorable 
flrangers at the beginning of their feafls, 
that It might be preparatory to the fecond, 
which he intended fhould be a feaff to the 
whole world, when all the followers of the 
bleffed Jefusfliould have an opportunity of 
feeding on his flefli, and drinking his blood, 
in a fpiritual manner. 

Peter modeftly declined it when our 
bleffed Saviour came unto him ; but his 
Mafler told him, that if he refufed to fub- 
mit implicitly to all his orders, he could 
have no part with him. On which Peter 
cried out, Lord, not inyjeet only, bnt alfo my 
hands and my head. But Jesus told him, 
that the perfon who had bathed himfelf 
had no reafonto wafh any part of his body 
except his feet, v;hich he might have dirti- 
ed by walking from the bath. In order to 
teach us, that perfbns converted do not 
ffandin need cf a total change of mind, but 
only to cfeanfe themfelves from the parti- 
cular fins they conflantly commit through 
infirmity ; for it is abundantly evident that 
our bieffed Saviour fpake of a fpiritual 
Wdfhing, becaufe he added, are clean, but 
not all. Ye are men of virtuous and holy 
difpofitions; but not all : I well know that 
one of you will betray me. 

After our blefTcd Saviour had finiflied 
this meniel fervice, he alked his difciples, if 
they knew the m.eaning of what he had done, 
as the acdon was purely emblematical ? 
Yoti truly, added he, flyle me Mafler and 
Lord, for I am the Son of God, and the Sa- 
viour of the world : But if I, your Mailer 
and your Lord, have condefci-nded to wai'h 
your ieet, you: lurely ought to peri'oim, 
ii 



198 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST, 



with the utmoft pleafure, the humbleft offi- 
ces of charity to one another. I have fet 
you a pattern of humility, and I recommend 
It to you. 

Certainly nothing can more eifc6lually 
fhevv us theneceffity of this heavenly tem- 
per of mind than it's being recommended 
to us by fo great an example : a recom- 
mendation which, in the prefent circumftan- 
ces, was particularly feafonable ; for the 
difciplcs, having heard their great Mailer 
declare that the kingdom of heaven was at 
hand, their minds were filled with ambi- 
tious thoughts. Upon which our bleffed Sa- 
viour added, Ye need not be afhamed to 
follow my example in this particular; for 
no fervant c'du think it beneath him, to con- 
defcend to perform thofe aftions his Lord 
has has done before him : and, therefore, 
if he knows his duty, he will be happy if he 
praftifes it. Oar bleffed Saviour added, 
that tho' he had called them to the apoftle- 
fhip, and well knew the fecret difpofitions 
of every heart, before he chofe them, they 
need not be furprifed, that any one among 
them fheuld prove a traitor, as it was done 
thatthe Scripture might be fulfilled : He that 
eat /let h bread with mz hath lifted up his heel 
againjtme, John xiii. 18. 

Our dear Lord being now to be but a 
fhorttime with his difciples, he thought pro- 
per to take his farewell of them, which he 
did in the mofl afFe6lionate manner. Thefe 
melancholy tidings greatly troubled them. 
They were very unwilling to part with fo 
kind a friend, fo dear a Mafter, fo wife a 
guide, and fo profitable a teacher ; efpecial- 
jy as they thought they fhonld be left in a 
forlorn condition, a poor and helplefs prey 
to the rage and hatred of a blind and ma- 
licious generation. They feemed willing 
to die with their Lord, if that might be ac- 
cepted : Why cannot IfoLlorjo tliee ? I will 
lay dozen my lije for thy fake^ was the lan- 
guage of one, and even all of them ; butthe 
bought of a difconfolate feparation they 
could not fupport. 

Their dear Lord and Mailer feeing them 
thus dejefted, endeavoured to cheer their 
drooping fpirils ; Let not your hearts he. 
iroub.'ed. Lifien attentively to what I am 
going to deliver for your confolation : I go 
io prepa-e a place joryoa. And if I go and I 
prepare a place for you, J zoill corns agazn j 
and rccaveyoiL untQ viyfelfj that wIku Lam 



there you may he alfo. A reviving admoni- 
tion ! They were one day to meet again 
their dear, their affeftionate Mailer, in a 
place where they fhould live together to all 
eternity. But death makes fo vaft a dif- 
tance between friends, and the difciples tlien 
knew fo little of a future (late, that they 
feemed to doubt whether they fhould ever, 
after parting, meet theii great Redeemer. 
They neither knew the place where he 
was going, nor the way that led to his king- 
dom. Lord, faid they, we knoxo not whither 
thougoefi ; and how can we knovj the way 9 
in anfwer to this queflion, he told them, 
that he was the zoay, the truth, and the life ; 
as if he had faid, the only w ay of following 
me to the regions of happinefs,, is by duly 
obferving my doftrines and precepts which 
I have delivered to you from the Almighty. 
He added, that by his removing to heaven, 
he would there intercede for them with his 
heavenly Father, and fend the Holy Gholl 
to comfort them from thence. 

However, lefl all thefe arguments fhould 
not be fufficient to quiet their minds, he 
had flill another, which could not ii i! of 
fucccfs ; If ye loved me, fays \it,ye would re« 
joice, becaufe I faid, I go unto the fathn' : 
intimating that he would confider it as a 
proof of their love to him, if they ceafed to 
mourn. They doubtlefs thought, that by 
grieving for his death, they expreffed their 
love to their Mafter ; and it fhould feeni 
ftrange that our Saviour fhould put fo con- 
trary an interpretation on their friendly 
forrow, or require fo unnatural a thing of 
them, as to rejoice athis departure. What I 
(might they think) fhall we rejoice at fo a- 
miable a friend's removal from us ; or can 
we be glad that he retires aud leaves us in 
this vale of mifery No, it is impofFible ; 
the human heart, on fo melancholy an oc- 
cafion, has no difpofition to rejoice. Our 
bleffed Saviour, therefore, adds this reafon 
to foive the feeming paradox, becaufe he 
was going to the father ; that is, he was go- 
ing to ahend to the ri^ht hand of infinite 
power, from whence he would fend them 
all the affiflance they could defire. It 
muft not however be fuppofed, that our 
Saviour meant by thefe words, that his dif- 
ciples fhould not be concerned at his death, 
or that they couid not love him unlefs they 
expreifed a vifible joy on this occafion ; 
that would^ indeed have been a hard inter-* 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



pretation of their grief ; he well knew their 
grief flowed from love, and that if their love 
had not been flrong, their forrow had been 
much Icfi. Indeed, their Mailer was ful- 
ly convinced, that love was the occafion of 
their forrow ; and, for that reafon, he ufed 
thcfe arguments to mitigate it. 

Our Lord did not intend to intimate, 
that all forrow for fo worthy a friend was 
unlawful, or an unbecoming expreflion of 
their love ; doubtlefs, he was not difplea. 
fed to fee his dilciples lb tenderly affefted 
at his removal from them; he who Ihed tears 
at the grave of Lazarus, blended with figlis 
and groans, cannot bethought toforbid them 
wholly at his own ; he, therefore, did not 
chide his difciplcs with angry reproaches, 
as though they had been entirely in the 
wrong, but <;enLly reafoned with them by j 
kind perfuahon. Let not your hearts hz iron- 
bled, as rather pitying than condemning 
their forrow. Sjon alter Jesus had fpo- 
ken thefe things, his heart Was greatly 
troubled, to think that one of his difciples 
Ihould prove his enemy ; he complained 
of it at the table, declaring that one of 
them (hould betray him. This moving de- 
claration greatly affeded the difciples, and 
they began every one of them to fay to their 
Mafter, Lord, is it I? But Jefus giving 
them no decilive anfwer, John, the be- 
loved difciple, vvhofe fweet difpofition, and 
other amiable qualities, is perpetuated in 
the peculiar love his great Mafler bore him, 
and was now reclining on his bofom, aflt- 
ed liim, who among the difciples could be 
guilty of fo detcftable a crime .^^ Jesus 
told him, that the perfon to whom he ihould 
give the fop, when he had dipped it, was 
he who iliould betray him ; accordingly, 
as foon as he had dipped the fop in the 
difli, he gave it to Judas Ifcariot, faying 
to him at the fame time, That thou doejl, do 
quickly. 

Judas received the fop, without knowing 
any thing of what his Mafler had told the 
beloved difciple, nor did anyofthedif 
ciples, except St. John, entertain the leaft 
fufpicion, that Judas was the perfon who 
would betray their Mafter. They were, 
indeed, fo deeply afHeCted with his declar- 
£uion, that one of them (hould betray him, 
that they did not remark the words of 
Jesus to his apoflate diiciple ; but con- 
tinued to aik him, v." hg was the perfon that 



fliould be guilty of fo unnatural a crime 
Willing at lafl: to fatisfy their impoitunity, 
the blelfcd Jksus declared, that the perfon 
who dipped his hand with him in the difli 
Ihould betray him. Tlii.s, to the eleven, 
was a joyful declaration, but confounding 
in the highefl degree to Judas : impudent 
as he was, it firuck him fpeechlels, difplay- 
ing the foulnefs of his heart, and pointing- 
him out plainly. 

Judas continued mute with confufion, 
while the bleffed Jesus declared, that hi-j 
death fhould be brought obout according 
to the decrees of heaven, though that 
would not in the leaft mitigate the crime 
of the perfon who betrayed him ; adding, 
it had been good for that man if he had not 
been born. Judas having now recovered 
himfelf a little, alferted his innocence, b\' 
aqueftion which implied a negation of the 
charge. But his Mafter poftitively affirm- 
ing that he was the perfon, he was loon 
hlenced. 

Judas Jfcariot's treachery in betraying 
his Mafter, muft raife the aflonifliment of 
every reader, who has any notion of the 
chara61er of our great, our merciful Re-^ 
deemer. It will not, therefore, we hope, be 
difagreeable to the reader to explain the 
motives that induced him to be guilty of 
this atrocious crime, and confider particu- 
larly the circumftances that attended fo in- 
human an aftion. Some are of opinion, 
that he was induced to comm.it this villainy 
by the refentment of the rebuke given him 
by his Mafter for blaming the v;oman who 
came v/ith the precious ointment, and a- 
nointed the head of Jesus, as he fat at 
meat in the houfe of Simon the leper ; 
but though this had doubtlefs its weight 
with the traitor, yet it could not, I think, 
be his only motive, be.aufe the rebuke was 
given in general to all the difciples, who 
had, perhaps, been equally forward with 
him in cenfuring the woman ; nor can we 
imagine^ even if he had been rebuked alone, 
that fo mild a reproof could provoke any 
perfon, however wicked, to the horrid acl 
of murdering his friend, much lefs Judas, 
whofe covetous difpofition muft have dif- 
pofed him to bear every thing from his 
Mafter, from whom he expected the higheft" 
preferment, when he opcnl) dccic rtd inm- 
felf the Meifiah, and took the reins of cqv- 
ernment into his own hands, If it ihould 



.SCO 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST, 



be anfwv^red, that l)is refentment was fo 
great as to hinder him from exercifmg his 
re a Ton, I ilefire it may be remembered, that 
though he a£lually agreed with the chief 
priells a few hours alter die rebuke was 
given, yet he did not commit the heinous 
crime till two days after : befides, to im- 
pute his treachery to the fudden impulfes 
of a ftrong refentment, U fo great an alle- 
viation of his crime, as feems abfoiutely 
inconfiftent with the chara6^er given of it 
in the Scripture, where it is faid to merit 
the heavieil puniOiment, and reprefented 
in the blackeil colours. 

There are others that think Judas be- 
trayed his Mailer through covetoufnefs : 
but if we underftand by covetoufnefs, tl.e 
reward given by the priells, this opinion 
is equally defe6Hve ; for the fum was too 
fmall for the moft covetous wretch to think 
equivalent to the life of a friend, efpecially 
when he expefted from him the higheil 
polls and advantages. The reader will be 
convinced of the force of this remark, 
when he remembers, that all the difciples 
believed the Meffiah's kingdom was inftant* 
ly to be ereded ; and that, according to the 
notion they entertained of it, each of them, 
efpecially the apollles, expefted, in a very 
fhort time, to be poflefled of immenfe 
riches ; befides, the Scripture tells us, that 
the predominant paffion of Judas was co- 
vetoufnefs ; he, therefore, could not be fo 
inconfiflent with hirafelf, as whenjufton 
the point of receiving an immenfe reward 
for his Tervice, to exchange every thing for 
fo trifling a fum. 

But there are others that attribute the 
perfidy cf Judas, to his doubting whether 
his Mafter was the Meffiah, and that he 
betrayed him in a fit of defpair : but of all 
the Iblutions, this is the worll founded ; 
for, if Judas believed his Mailer to be an 
impoilor, he mult have obferved fome- 
thing in his behaviour, which led him to 
form fuch an opinion of him ; and, in that 
cafe, he would doubtlels have mentioned 
it to the chief priefts and elders, when he 
made the contract with them, which it is 
plain he did not, as they would have re- 
minded him of it, when he came back and 
cxpreiTed his remorfe at what he had don^. 
It Ihould alfo be obferved, diat h.^d Jjdas 
given them any intimations ef t^iis kin'!, 
they would doubtlcfs have urged t.': li 



agiinft our blefied Saviour himfelf in ih<t 
courfe of his trial, when they were at fa 
great a lofs for witnelfes to fupport their 
accufations ; and againll the apoitles after- 
wards, when they re[)roved them forfpeak- 
ing in the name of Jesus : befides, had 
Judas thought his Mafter an impoftor, 
and propoled nothing by his treachery, 
but the price he put upon his life, how- 
came he to fell him for fuch a trifle, when 
he well knew, that the chief priefb and 
rulers would have given him any fum, 
rather than not have gotten him into their 
hands ? in fine, the fuppofition that Judas 
believed his Mafter to be an impoftor, is 
dire8Iy confuted by the folemn declaration 
I he made to the priefts, when he declared 
the deepeft conviftion of the innocence of 
lour great Redeemer: I have Jinned, faid 
I he, in betraying the innocent blood. And 
jitmuft be remembered, that the remorfe 
ihe felt for his crime, was too bitter to be 
j endured ; fo that he fled even to the king 
I of terrors for relief, alter he faw his Mafter 
I condemned. 

I However, iince the treachery of Judas 
(did not proceed from any of tin; fe motives, 
lit may be aflced, what other motive can 
I be aftjgned for his condu6f ? The evangelift 
I St John tells us, that he was of fo covet- 
jous a difpofnion, as to fteal money out of 
our Lord's bag, and hence we have fuffi- 
jcient reafon to believe, that he firft followed 
Jesus, with a view of obtaining riches and 
other temporal advantages, which he ex- 
pefted the Mefiiah's -friends would enjoy :. 
it likevvife auihorifes us to think, that as 
he had hitherto reaped none of thefe ad- 
vantages he might grow impatient under 
the delay ; and the rather, as Jesus had 
lately difcouraged all ambhious viev/s a- 
mongft his difciples, and neglefted to em- 
brace the opportunity of ere6ling his king- 
dom, which Wds offered him by th€ mul- 
titude who accompanied him into Jerufa- 
lem, with (bouts, and crying, Hofanna to the 
Son of David, His impaiience, therefore, 
becoming exceftive, inlpired him with the 
thought of delivering his Mafter into the 
'hands of the council, firmly perfuaded that 
(he would then be obliged to afl'ume the 
\(\'.%.M\v of the Mefliah, and confequently 
Ic'^i: [o re -yard his followers: for, as this 
court was corapofed of the chief priefts, 
eliL^is and I'cribes, that is, the principal 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLEI 



•0! 



perfons oF the faccrclotal order, the repre- 
lentatives of the great families, and tlie 
do^lors of the law ; the traitor did not 
doubt that his Maftcr, when brought be- 
fore lb augU'l an affembly, Would alferthis 
pretentions to the title oi Meffiah, prove 
his claims to their full convidtion, gain them 
over to his inlereft, and immediately enter 



a6ler of the Meihah, and to trcjit him as 
it flioiild appear he deferved. 'i hc dlerj 
therelbre, whicii Judas make them of de- 
livering him up, was in conformity to their 
public refolutions ; nor did they under- 
itand it in any other light ; for, had tli«: 
pricfts thought that liir, dengn in tlii.s was 
to get his Maflcr punifhed with deatli, they 
nuiii alio have thought he believed him to 
be an impoftor ; in which cafe, they vrouid 



yet 

cefs of it Y^rould procure his pardon from 
fo companionate a Mailer, and even re- 
commend him to favour. In the mean 
tim.e, his projsa, hov/ever plaufible it 
micrht appear to one of his turn, was far 
from being free from diFficnlty ; and, there- 
fore, while he revolved h in his own mind, 



on his regal dignity. And though he muft 
be feohble, that the meafures he took to 

comoafs this intention were very offenfive j doubllefs have produced him as oPiC of 
to his Mafter; yet he might think the fuc- their principal evidences, no perfon bcii g 

more proper to bear witnefs againft any 
criminal than his companion. Or, fup- 
pofing Judas repented before the trial canie 
on, and had withdrav;n himfelf, the priefis 
might have argued with great plaufibility, 
both in their own court and before the 
gcwernor, that for a man's difciple to re- 
quire the judges to bring him to condign 
punifhment, branded him vvdth fuch a fuf- 
picion of guilt, as v/as alm.oft equal to a 
full proof : alfo, when Judas returned to 
them with the money, declaring that he 
had hnned in betraying the innocent blood, 
irdfead of replying, What is that to its, J cc 
thou to that ? it was the moft natural tlnng 
in the world to have upbraided him with 
the flain he had put upon his Mafler's char. 
rifter, by the contract they had made with 
him. It is true, they called the money they 
gave him, the price of blood; but they did 
not mean this in the flrifteft fenle, as they 



many things i^iight occijr ic- dagger his re 
At length, thviiiwng 



iolution. At length, th.niwng nimfelf af- 
fronted by the rebuke of Jesus, ^ at the 
time wiien the woaian annoinred the head 
of his Mailer, he was provoked to execute 
the refolndon he had formed of obliging 
him to alter his meafures. Rifnig, there- 
fore, dire6lly from the table, he went im- 
mediately into the city, to the palace oi the 
high-prieil, where he found the council 
allembled, confuking hov/ they might take 
Jesus by fubtihty, in the abfence of the 
multitude. To them he made known his 
intention of delivering hi^ MaRer into their 



hands; and undertook, tor a fmall I'um of had neither hired Judas to affaffinate his 
money, to con dud a band of armed men Mafter, nor can they be fuppofed to have 
to the place wheie the Saviour of the v/orld charged themrelvcs with the ^uilt of mui- 
ufually fpent the night with hi:; difciples, dering him : it was only the price of blood, 
where' they might apprehend him without in confequence of its being the reward they 
the lead danger of a tumult. Thus the had given to the traitor, for putting it in 
great deceiver of mankind tempted him to | their pov/cr to take away the life of Ch rist, 
commit the horrid atlion, by laying hold | under the colour and form of public juftice; 



of the various pafTions that now agitated 
the traitor's breaft. 

It may be gathered from the nature of 
the contraft, that theie were really the 
iiiotives which induced Judas to betray his 
Mafter : What wiUye give me, faid he, and 
I xjcill deliver him unto you He did not 
mean that he would deliver him up to be 
put to death; for though the priv^fts had 
confulted among themfelves, how they 
might deftroy Jesus, they had not been 
fo abominably wicked as to declare their 
intention publicly : they anly propofed to 
bring him to a trial for aftuming the char- 



nay, it may be ev.:^n doubted, whether Jn- 
das afked the money, as a reward of his 
fervice : he covetoufly, indeed, kept it, 
and the priefts, for that reafou, called it 
the price of blood. 

Judas, in ftiort, knew that the rulers 
could not take av/ay the life of any perlon 
whatfoever, the Romans having deprived 
them of that power ; and, therefore, could 
have no defign of this kind iri delivering 
him up ; not to mention that it was a com- 
mon opinion among the Jews, that the 
Meftiah could never die, an opinion which 
Judas might eahly embrace, having feeii 
C 



2C2 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST, 



his MaRcr raifo feveral pciTons, and among 
the refi, cnc wlio had been in the grave no 
ici'.s than four day;;. 

It is probable that the traitor':] intention 
in betraying his Mafter, was that raentioned 
above, from His hanging hirafelf, when he 
found him condemned, not by the govern- 
or, but by the cDnucil, v.'hcle prerogative 
it was to judge prophets. Kad Judas pro- 
pofed to take away the Hie of his Matter, 
the fentence of condemnation palFed upon 
him, icilcad of rilling l.i.u vriih defpair, 
ip.uil: have gratified hini, being the accom- 
pliQinient of his projeci : whereaSj this cir- 
cumilance is (hewn to have been perfeftly 
natural, by the light wherein we have en- 
deavoured to place his condu6l. 

Having been witnefs to the greateft part 
oi our Lord's miraclts, and having expe- 
rienced the certain truth of them, in the 
povv'ers that had been conferred upon Irim- 
felf, Judas could never think that the coun- 
cil would have condemned him as an im- 
pcftcr, far iefs as a blafphemer ; he knew 
him to be perfjftly innocent, and expefted 
that he would ha\e wrought iuch miracles 
before the council, as ihould have con- 
fl rained them to believe : therefore, when 
he found that nothing of this kind was 
done, and that the priells had paffed the 
fentence of condemnation uDon him, and 
were carrying him to the governor to get 
it executed, he repented of his ralh and 
covetous proje£i:, came to the chief priells 
and elders, the peifocs to whom he had 
betrayed him, offered them their money 
again, and foiemnly declared the deepeli 
convi6iion of his Mafter's innocence, hoping 
that they v/ould have dehfted from the 
profecution ; but they were obftinate, and 
would not relent upon v.'hich his reinorfe 



arofe to luch a pitch, that, unable to fup.- 
port the torments of his conlcience, he 
went and hanged himfelf. Thus I think- 
it probable, that the traitor's intention in' 
delivering up his Mafter, was not to get 
him punilhed with death, but only to lay 
hmi under a necelhty of proving his prc- 
tenlions before the grandees, whom he had 
fiUierto fliunned ; thinking that the whole 
nation would immediately have fubmitted, 
and the difciples have been railed forthvvicii. 
to thefjinmit of their expeBaiions, if they: 
had yielded. 

But this account of Judas' condu6}, is^ 
by no means calculated to kffen the foul- 
nefs of his crime, vv-hich was the blackelt 
imaginable : for, even in- the light above 
mentioned, il implied both an infatiable 
avarice, and a WiUal oppontion to the 
counfels of Providence, and rendered the 
aftor of it a dilgrace to human nature : but 
it is calculated to fet the credibility of the; 
traitor's aftion in a proper light, and to 
fiiew that he v/as not moved to it by any 
thing faipici;*us in the charafter of hiS" 
Malter; becaufe, according to this viev/ of 
it, his perhdy, infiead of implying that he? 
entertained fufpicions of his MaRer's integ- 
rity, plainly proves, that he had the fulleife 
convi;:lion of his being the Meffiah; and, to 
fay the truth, it was not pofiible for any one 
intimately acquainted with our Lord, as 
Judas was, to judge otherv/ife of him ; hav- 
ing feen his miracles, which were great and 
true beyond exception, and having expe- 
rienced his power in the ability of working 
miracles, which he had received from him, 
and, no doubt, exercifed with extraordin- 
ary pleafurc; together with the reil of the 
apoilles, 



AND LIVES OFI-IIS APOSTLES. 



CHAPTER 



XXXIL 



Our Saviour i-.Jtifutcs ihc Sacrament of his Supper: He chcchth ilie ardHliuus Sbife 
of his Difciples, and prcnufi'Ji t.kcm a Share in his Kingdom, : He icUeffi Peter of 
Satan's df^e to fft kim, but that his Faitk ffiouii be fupported ; and yet he fould 
thrice d'.ny him : He advifelh his Dfiples to provide Nccf/anes, and to arm thewfelves 
a^G.ir\Ji the Bay of Trial : He promfetk them Fozver to do greater Works than has own, 
and ihe Grant ef all that they jhould ajk in his Name : He requveth their Obedience as 
a ProoJ ef ih.ir Love, and giveih ihem a Promi/s cf the Comforter, the Holy Ghcjt. 
Under ihe Pa.ra.ble of the Vine, Christ ftteih forth God's Government cf his Churdi, 
and (xhorteth his Difciples to abide in hi^ Faith and Dofii ine: H commandelhihcm to 
' love one another, according to ihe great Lwe he had fhevced for them; and zcaineth 
thsr.i cf thdr Suffei ings Jar kis Sake : He comforteth them by a Promife cf the Holy 
Ghcjt : He intimiteth his Death, Rfarreclion, and Afcerfon : His D fciples corfefs 
their Faith in him; .4' fo.etelicth their Defnion from h'.vi, and prcmijcth them Peace 
in him cjivfl their Tribulation in the World : Hi praytih to his Father Lo g'o) ijy him ; 
and to preisrve his Apcflfs in Unity cf Faith, and from a'.l Fvil ; and to fanctify ihtm 
zciththe Word of Truth ; and for the peftt Union cf all Believers, andiheir Admijfioni- 
ie a Share cf his Glory in Heaven. 



IT dee-; n- t appear tliat cur Saviour 
was in the leail dsltarbed at the con- 
fideration of the treachery of Judas : for, 
in order to render his !ove to mankind 
more efieciual, he inilituted the facrament 
of his fapper, to perpetaa'Le the memory 
of it throughout all ages. Accordingly, 
as they were eating the pafchal-lbpper, 
Jcfus teak brsad, and buffed it, and brake 
it, and gave it to the dijciple^, and faid, 
Take, eat ; rhis is my tody, zihich is given 
for you : this do in remenibrance cfme. Ob- 
lerve this rite no longer in rememhrance 
of your deliverance from Egvpt, but in 
remembrance of me : who, by dying for 
you, will bring you out of the fpiriLual 
bondage, a bondage far worfe than the 
Egyptian, under which your fathers groan- 
ed, and will eRablirn you in the glorious 
liberty of the children of God : do it in 
remembrance of me, who, by laying down 
my life, will ranlorn you rrcni £n, from 
death, from hell, and, that vou mav enter 
immortality in triumph, will fet open the 
gates of heaven to you. 

Af er having given the bread to his dif- 
ciples, he alfo took the cup, and gave it 
to them, faying. D,ink ye all cf it ; for 
this is my bleed of the New Tffament, which 
is fl.ed far miJiy for ihe remijfwn oj fns 
AW of you, and all of my difciples in ali 
ages, muft: drink of this cup, bccaufe i: 
repveients my blood Ihed for the remiffioi: 
of the Gns cf^ mankind ; my blood, b^ 
wliich the new ccveuast ber.veen God'aad 



jman is ratined : it is, therefore, my blood 

nflitu- 



of the new covenant ; io tt^iat tnis m 
lion exhibits to your j^^yful meditation, the 
grand bans of the hopes of the children of 
men, and peroetuates the memjorv of it to 

l J. * 

the end of the A'orld. He added, / will 
net drink henceforth ef this Jrv.it cf thz 
vine, until that day when I drink it ncvi 
with y-TU, in my Fathers kingdom, IMat.. 
XX vi, 29. 

The mod illuHriou.^, the mcR; miOmsnt- 
ous event that Is poITible to engage the 
meditations cf mankind, is the manifefla- 
tion of the Son ot God : to his life and 
death, his refurrcciion and aicenlioa into 
glorv, V. e are indebted tor cur hopes and 
aifurances of pardon, for our peace, fcr 
our happinei's : to procure our benefit, he 
made the mod amazing condefccniion frofii 
the dignity ht enjoyed with his Father, by 
putting on the veil of flcQi ; lie poured 
divine infiruftion from his lips, and (hone 
iorth with an all perfet^t and all-lovely ex- 
ample ; for our benefit, he fubmit ed to a 
courfe cf the mod cruel tre atment cf his 
bitter enemies, to the agonies cf the crcfs, 
and to the liioke of the king cf terrors 



for our benefit, he arcfe agani with power 
and luftre, afcended into the mai ficns of 
eternal happinefs, intercedes for us witii 
the AJmighty, and hcldeth the reins of 
jovernment. And fnall the cmi^Lle, the 
cxcelhnt, the benchciai actions of this 
Saviour, he buried in oblivion.'^ Forbid it, 
^■^ratitude, dutV; ir.tereli! Forbid i', eveVy 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST, 



confideration that can afFetl the human ' infpire us with condercenfion, compa(riori, 
mind ! With the greateft wifdom and 'and love, and to urge the putting away all 
goodnefs", this beneficent Jesus inftimted ! bitternefs, anger, evii-fpeaking, and re-* 
a rite, that fhould recall his love to cur : venge, 

memories, and awake each pious paffion | We ought, therefore, to be very careful 
incur breads; a riie which, by the break- ; how we perform this duty appointed by 
ing of bread, and the pouring out of wine, jour dying Saviour. "We Ihould, in order 
fl"iould reprefentto us in a finking manner, 'to receive it v/orthily, employ our medita- 
that moff fignal proof of the affetiion, 1 tion on the defign and excellency of the 
both of him and his heavenly Father, when ! gofpei ; on the nol^Ie fyPtem of dottrines 
his tender frame was expofed to wounds , and duties it contains ; on the illuflriouSj 
and bruifes, when flreams of the moll pre- divine, and complete example of the blef- 
cious blood iffued from his facred veins, fed Tesus : on the irnporiant rsrivileg-es. 
And the more we refleft on this inrtance^the valuable promifes, and the ravifiiing 
of divine love, the more v;e (hall perceive j profpefis his revelation affords; and on 
that there was a peculiar propriety in i the bright and convincing evidence with 
pointing out, by a particular ordinance, a . which it is attended. We fliould contem- 
faft of fuch immenfe importance in the , plate that effential and unpa.ral!.cled bene- 
fyflem of revelation! Nay, v/e may even | volencc of the Deity, in forming the way 
venture to affert, that in fome dark and | for our redemption ; on ihe readinefs man- 
corrupt ages, when the Scriptures were ; ifeifed by the Son of God in u ndertaking 
little known by the common people, and i our caule ; and on his wondf i i-!! trar,fac- 
hardly fludied by the priefts, the death of jtions in the prcfeculiou of tliii ;:,,;5rid, this 
our Saviour, had not the remembrance of | amazing work : above ail, v/c :hor,]d im- 
it been renewed by the celebration of this ■ prefs upon our fbuls a iirongleni ; oi ilie 
facred ordinance, v/ould have been almoit fpecial and imrnediace purpoies for v.diich 
forgotten. Ithis facrament was appointed ; and when 

We [hould alfo remember, that the van- i we aftually join in communion, we ihould. 
ities of the world, ti;e ailuremenis of fen- be careful that our affeclions be properly 
fual pleafure, the charms of ambition, the ^ dire£led, and warmly engaged, 
i'plendour of riches ; in fhort, temptations \ To have our hearts fixed upon the van-^ 
from prefent obje6ls of every kind, have ities, the profits, and the cares of this 
often too fatal an influence on our temper world, is a direct violation of the ordi- 
andconduft; they have a melancholy ap- nance ; and therefore we fliould be ex- 
titude to draw the foul ahde to folly, and tremely careful to maintain a right temper 
to obliterate the impreffions of things di- and behavior at that time. We fhould 
vine. It was, therefore, a wife, a kind Rudy to abflrad our thoughts as much as 
intention of our great R.edeemer, by a fre- pofhble from every foreign, every terreftrial 
quenf repetition of the fa era mental feafl, confideration, and to have our paffions 
to call back the wandering heart of man fervently employed in the foiemn fervicc, 
to a fenfe of his duty and obligations as a " Retire, O, my foul ! each of us Ihould 
Chriflian. Befides, though the religion of fay, from this mferior fcene of things; 
the immaculate Jesus is altogether gentle, from all its pleafures, and all its purfuits, 
generous, and beneficent ; though iis whole and hold communion with the Almighty 
tendency is to correct the paffions, fv/eeten and his Son, the immaculate Jesus. Me- 
the difpohtions, and enlarge the affc6lions ditate upon that infinite grace of Omnipo- 
of men; and though it enforces all thjs tence, v/hich contrived the amazing plan, 
upon us by motives furprifingly pov/erful 'that difplayeth pardon, peace, and endlels 
and affefling ; yet fuch is the perverfencfs happincfs to io undeferving a creature as 
of the human heart, that jealoufies and thou a; t, Reco]it6l that iurprifing-conde- 
contentions, envy, wrath, and malice, too fcenfion and tendernefs of thy compafTion- 
often fmd admittance there. Was it not ; ate Redeemer, v^diich induced him to bring 
then an inftance of our Saviour's wifdom | down from heaven I'alvation to the ions 
and benevolence, by uniting us tog.nher at I of men. Call lo mind the admirable in- 
the facrament of his body and blood, to j firu61ioLS he oiicred^; the charming pat- 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



205 



tern he exhibited, the hard Labours and I demonftratcd by walking more Rrictly ih 
lufferings he endured in the courfe of his ! the way of his precepts, and b/ abounding 
niiniRry ; efpecially call to mind the igno- 1 in that heavenly charafter and temper 
minv, the reproaches, the agonies he en- which his fpotlefs example- fo engagingly 
dured, v.'hen he hung upon the crofs, and j recommends : thiir. only will the facrarnenl 
purchafed for tb.ee eiernal mercy. Think ! become fubfervient to the moil beneficial 
upon thefe aftecting fubjeas, till thine ! purpofes ; thus only will it be inflrumental 
heart is filled wiih Icrrow for thine ini- in qualifying us 'for fharing in the dignity 
quities ; till thy fai:li becomes lively, and felicity poflelTed by our exalted Sa- 
active, and fruitful ; till thy gratitude and ! viour. May, therefore, all the followers oF 
love are elevated to the higheif pitch ; till the immaculate Jesus, advance from bo- 
thy obedience is rewdered uniform, fleady, ' linefs to holinefs, till they arrive at the 
and complete. Haft thou, O, my God, ' regions of eternal felicity, by uniting to- 
and Parent of univerfal nature ! haft thou ' gether at his hcvcd table. 
To iiluftrioufly manifefted thy cornpafiion j Having thus inftituted his laft fupper, 
for finners as not to fpare thine own Son ? our blelled Saviour was deeply afiecled with 
Haft thou fent the Saviour into this lower his own thoughts : and after delivering the 
world, in order to raife the cirildren of men facramental cup, telling them that his b.ood 
to immortality perfection and glory ? And | was ft:ied for them, he mentioned the 
am I now in thy prefence, on purpofe to | treachery of Judas a fecond time : Buf, 
celebrate this inftitution, which requireth ! /^Mi'.V, th^ hand cf him that hdrayeih me 
me to comm.emorate the death of \.h&\ iszuithme onthetahls, I'his fecond declar- 
great Mefliah ; to declare my public ac- 1. ation was iriade very properly after the 
ceptance of his excellent revelation, and I inftitution of the facrament, which exhi- 
my regard to my Chriiiian brethren ? May | bits the higheft inftance of our great Re- 
then the remembrance of his beneficence ■: deemer's love to mankind, his dying to 
dwell upon my mind, and upon tongue j obtain the remilTion of their fms ; for it 
for ever and ever ! May I confider and ; abundantly proves, that the perfon who 
comply with the intention of his gofpel : ■ could deliberately be gujlty of fuch an in- 
and may the fentiments of kindnefs and jury to |o kind a friend muft have been a 
charity towards all my fellow mortals and ' monfter, the foulnefs of whofe ingratitude 
fellow difciples, with increanng purity, ! cannot be reached by the force cf lan- 
with increafmg zeal, reign in my breaft/' j guage. Some of the diibiples, particular, 
v/hen we partake of this facred ordi- 1 ly ftruck with horror at the thought of Ju- 
fuch are the views that ft^ould , das' treachery, rebuked him, by aiking hiin 



nance, 

polfefs our fouls : but it hgnify little 
to entertain thefe views at that time, un- 
iefs the effects of them are apparent in our 
future condutl and converfation ; for a 
tranfient ftov/ of afFecfions or falHes of 
immediate delight v.ere not principally 



widi furprife, how he could betray his 
Mafter? This accufation Judas, no doubt, 
repelled by impudently denying the fael ; 
but confcioufnefs of guijt, giving edge to 
the reproaches of his brethren, and to 
every circumftance of the affair, he, think- 



intended in this inftitution. The blefled i ing himfelf affronted, immediately left the 
Jesus did not ordain it as a ceremony on company exceedingly difpleafed. 
charm^ but as a proper method of eilab- Our blelTed Saviour's SuSerings were 
lifning our hearts in virtuous and pious now at hand : the traitor Judas was gone 
difpofitions. Though ye have, therefore, j to the chief priefts and elders, for a ban4 
O Ghriftians ! obeyed the Redeemer's ! of foldiers to apprehend him ; but this did 
command in this appointment, and found not difcompofe the Redeemer of mankind : 
your paluons greatly moved, yet this is 
not the v/hcle required at your hands ; it 



willjuftlybe expected, that y^e (hould live 



he took cccauon to meditate on the glory 
that would accrue belli to himfeif and to 
the Almighty fiorn thof; fuHeriisgr., an 4 



to the honour ot your divine Mafter. As fpake of it to his difciples : Now, Taid h-- 
you have folemnly profeffed your faith in j is the San of n\an gloriued^ and God i$ 
him, and ) our love towards him, uiq] glorified in iiini. He a lk> told them, that 
icality of your faith and love fnould be having already done honour iQ h*s Fa- 

3 D ■ ' 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST, 



tlier •by the paft aftions of his life, and 
being about to honour him yet further by | 
his Iraferings and death, which would dif- 
play his perfeftions, particularly his infi- 
nite love to the human race, in the mofl af- 
tonifhing and amiable light, he was in his 
turn to receive honour from the Almighty ; 
intimating that his human nature was to 
be exalted to the right hand of Omnipo- 
tence, and tliat his milfion from God was 
to befupported by irrefragable atteftations. 
But his difciples, imaginmtj that he fpake 
of the glory of a temporal Kingdom, their 
ambilion was again revived, and they be- 
gan to difpute with as much keennefs as 
ever, which of them fhould be greateli in 
tliat kingdom.. This contention, Jesus 
conipoicd by the arguments he had for- 
merly ufcd for the fame purpofe. Amongil 
the Gentiles, laid he,, they are reckoned 
the greatcll who have the greatefl; power, 
and have exercifed it in the m.oR abfolute 
manner: but your greatncfs fhall be very 
different from theirs ;. it ffiall notconfift in 
being unlimited wuh regard to tyrannical 
power, even though it fhould be joined 
win a^n affeftation of titles, which denote 
quahiies truly honourable ; but whcfoever 
defires lo be great, or chief among you,| 
let him befo by his humility, and the fer- 
vice he renders to the reit, in imitation of 
me your mader, whofe greatnefs confifts in 
this,' tiiat I am become the feryant of you 
all: adding, as they had continued with 
liim in this temptation, he would beflow 
upon them fuch a kingdom as his Father 
liad appointed for them. At the fame time 
to check their ambition, and lead them to 
form a ju ft notion of his kingdom, he toid 
them, that he was-^foon to leave them, and 
tliat whiiher he was going, tliey^ could not 
at that time follow hiin ; for which reafon, 
inftead of contending with one another, 
which of theafi (hould be the greateft, they 
would do well to be united among them- 
felvei. ia tb-e happy bend of love :■ for, by ^ 
loving one another hncerdy and fervently j 
they would prove them^'ves his difciples,! 
to the convicLion, of mankind, who could j 
not be ignorant, that the diflinguifhing part 
of liis chara£ler was love. 

OurLord called this a new command-j 
ment, not becaufe mutual love had never ; 
been enjoyed to mankind before, but be- j 
^aufeitwas a precept of pecuhar excel- 1^ 



lency ; for the word 7tezo in the Hebre\^ 
language, denotes excellency and truth: 
and the reafon of this idiom feems to have 
been, that novelty oftentimes has the fame 
effeO; upon the mind as excellency, rf n- 
deirng an objeft acceptable, and raifmg 
admiration: he alfo called this a new com- 
mandment, bec'aufe they were to exercife 
it under a new relation, according to a 
new meafure, and from new motives : they 
were to love one another in the relation 
of his difciples, and m that degree of love 
which he had fliewed to them ; for they 
were to lay down their lives for the bre- 
thren. This excellent morality, however, 
did not make fuch an impreffion on Peter, 
as the words which Jcfus had fpoken con- 
cerning a place whither his difciples could 
not come : he therefore replied, by afkiug-, 
where he was going ? To which Jefus an- 
fwered. Whither I go thou cavjl not Jolloxo 
tne. now;- but thou (halt Joilow ms ojlzY-' 
wards. 

In order to make his difciples humble^ 
watchful, and kindly-affe6lionate one to- 
wards another, he allured them, that Satan- 
was feeking to risin them all by his tempta- 
tions : And the Lord /aid, Simon^ Simony 
Behold, Satan hath dejired to have you, thai 
he may Jft you as wheat : but ! have pray- 
ed for thee that thy faith Jail not : and 
when thou art canverLed, ftrengthen thy breth- 
ren. Peter was greatly ofiended that his 
Mafler fhould have finglcd him out as the 
weakeft : for fo he interpreted his praying' 
for him particularly : and fuppofing that he 
mentioned Satan's feeking to Uft him, as a 
thing which would hinder him from fol- 
Iowir>g his Mafler, replied, Why cannot I 
follow thee now ? Is there any road m-ore 
terrible than the dark valley of the fhadow 
of death ? Yet, I am willing this moment 
to accompany thee through thefe black 
and gloomy fhades. 

But Jefus knowing his weak, though 
fincere reiblution, anfwered, Art thou fo 
very confident of thine own ftrengih ? / 
tell thee, Pettr, flie cock fliall not crow this^ 
day, before that thou fJialt thrice deny that' 
thovj knowsjl Luke xxii. 34, 

Our dear Lord having finilhed what he 
had to fay to Peter in particular, turned 
himfelf to his other difciples, and put 
them in mind, how vhat, when they were 
firil (-'w oiiti he direclcd them to rtVf 



And lives of His APOSTLES. 



267 



wlioliy upon the Almighiy fcr afTsflancp. 
Whcii I km you fonr;er!y, faid ho, to 
preach the gofpel, y(;u may remeniher, 1 
ordered you to go without any provifion, 
eiiher for your lulienance or defence, af- 
furiiigycu, iliat ihouj;h you would indeed 
meet vviili gT-.-at oppofiiion, yet PnA-idcnce 
would difpofe fome men in all places to 
be your friends, and to furniOi you wiih 
all necelfarics ; and, accordingly, you 
found that }'oii vranted for nothing, but 
were wonderfully fupponcd without any 
care or proviGon of ycur own in the whole 
journey, and hnifhed your work with lUC- 
ccfs. B it now the cafe is veiy diP/erent ; 
the time of that greateft trial and diftrcfs. 
whereof 1 have often forewarned you, \^ 
juli at hand ; and you may now make all 
the provifion in yoiir power, and arm 
yourfelves againft it as much as you are 
able : the time, I fay, of the greateH: trial 
and diHrefs that ever yet beTell you, i^ now 
at hand ; for I am juil going to be betrayed 
itito the hands of my inveterate enemies. 
I have hniihed the work for which I was 
fent fnto the world ; and nothing now^ re- 
mains for me, but to undergo thofe fjffcr- 
ings which the prophets have foretold con- 
cerning me, and, by fubmitting at laft to 
a moft cruel and ignominious death, to 
complete this whole difpenfation of Provi- 
dence. Tlie difciples thinking that their 
great Mafter meant, that they ihould arm 
themfelves in a literal fc>nfe, and endea- 
vour to oppofe the aiTauKs that would 
ftorily be made upon them by the Jews, 
-anfwered, Lord, here are tzcofwords : but 
the bleffed Jzsus, who only intended to 
convey an idea of their approachingdifirefs 
and temptation, and to arm them againft 
the furprife, replied. It is enougk. 

Our bleffed Saviour having thus fore- 
warned his di'xiples of the great trial that 
was coming upon them, and commanded | 
them to arm tliemfeives againfl: ir, pro- j 
ceeded to animate them to luQain the trial ; 
m:anfully, and to ccmFort them under the | 
difraal apprehennons it might caufe in 
their minds. Be not terrified and difcon- 1 
folate, faid the compa'honate Redeemer of! 
ihankind, becaufe I have told you that 1 1 
mull undergo great futierings, and be ta- j 
ken away from you for a time. You have 
always been taught to believe in God, v, ho \ 
W the Almighty Preferver and Governor j 



of all things ; and to rely on him for de- 
liverance in e-. ery affliction and diflref^. 
Learn noiv, in like manner, to believe in 
me, who have ":il power committed to me, 
as }ircfervcr and head of my church ; and 
irufl in me to accomplifli fully all things 
that I have promifcd you. If you do this, 
and perfdl iteadfaflly in the belief of my 
do£f rinc, and in the obedience of my com- 
mands, nothing in this Vale of mdfery, not: 
even pfrfecution, or death iifelf, fhall be 
able to hinder you from attaining the hap- 
pinefs I have propofed to you : for in. 
heaven, my Father's houfe, there is abun- 
dant room to re -eive you, ctherwife I 
would not have filed )Our minds with the 
hopes and expectations of happinefs : but, 
as there are manfions furhcient for >ou iri 
another (late, ycu may v/ith confidence 
and alFurance hr pe for the full acccmplifh- 
ment of my prcmifes, notwithHanding all 
this piei'ent Vv'ovld m?.y contrive or a6l 
againft you. And ye ought alfo to bear 
patiently miy departure from you at this 
time ; fmce J only leave you to open the 
portals of thofe eternal habitations, where 
1 fhall be ever with you, and to prepare a 
place for your reception : after which I 
vvjU return and take you to myfejf. Nof 
fliaii you evermore be feparated from me, 
but continue wiih me to all eternity, in 
full participation of my eternal glory and 
happinefs, in the blifsful regions of the 
heavenly Canaan. You muft now furely 
know the v/ay t^at leads to thefe happy 
feats of imiTiOrtality, and whither I ant 



gcini 



However, the difciples, whofd minds 
were not yet tu'ly weaned from th.e ex- 
pe6fations of temporal power and glory, did 
not underlland this difcourfe of their great 
and beloved Mailer. Accordin^lv, The- 
mas replied, Lord, we know not ichiihcr 
tfiougoejt ; and houo can vce knovj the way ? 
To v/hich the bleffed Jesl's anfwered, / 
am the zcay, and the truth, and the lite. 
Imitating my example, and obeying my 
comniands, is the way to arrive at the 
place whither I am going-;' liamfly, to my 
Father's houfe, and' to the enjoyment of 
his eternal happ'nefs : nor can any man 
go thither by any other way. If ye fay,, 
ve do not knov; the Father, I tell you> 
that no man wlio knoweth me, can be 
ignorant of my Fatlier, of his will, and of 



208 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST, 



the manner of pleanng him ; for my Father j fteadfaR; and immovable in your obedience 
and I are one: fo that if ye know me, yejto my commands: this is the only true 
mull know the Father alio ; and indeed ye mark ye can give of the hncerity of your 
do know him, and ha\^.^ been lulhciently ; love towards me ; it i> more than yout? 
inftru6led in his precejDts. Then Phihp' grieving at my departure, 
anfwered, Lord, fhew us but once the] I fay, the Father (hall fend you another 
Father, and we I'hall be fully fati;-fied. But advoeate and comforter, even his Holy- 
Jesus replied, have I been fo long con- Spirit, the author and teaclier of truth, 
linually witii you, and doR thou not yet who (hall guide and direct, adi II and corn- 
know me, Philip ? I tell you, I and my fort you in all cafes. This Spirit, the 
Father are the flmie ; fo that to know one lenfual and corrupt world cannot receive^ 
js to be acquainted with both. What then having no knowledge of him, nor difpofi-? 
can you mean by dehring to fee the Fatlier, tion to be governed by hira ; but ye know 
as if you could Rill be ignorant of him, him, and are difpofed to entertain him :, 
after being fo long acquainted with me p he is already in you, by his fecret and in- 
Do ye not believe that the Father and I vifible efficacy ; and fhall hereafter appear 
are one and the fame ? Whatfoever Ifpeak, in you openly, by great and vifible mani- 
■is the declaration of his will, and whatfo- feftations of himfelf. Thus, though I mull 
ever I do, is the operation of his power. ' depart from you, yet I do by no means 
Believe me, that the Father and I are one ; leave you comfortlefs : I leave with you a 
and if ye refufe to believe my ownaffirma- promife of the Holy Spirit ; and I leave 
tion, yet, as my works carry in them un-| you in expeftation alfo of my return: 
deniable evidences of a divine power, let for though, after a very little while, I (hall 
them convince you. j appear no more to the world ; yet, as I 

Yet then furely have m.atter fufficient ! lhall live again, and ye alfo Oiall live with 
to comfort and fupport your fjpirits under ' me, to you I will appear, 
the thoughts of my departure from yoUf | Therefore, when I have conquered and 
Ye have abundant reafon to believe, that I triumphed over death, ye Ofall underiland 
have pov/er to perform ail the promifes L more fully, and it fliail appear more vifi- 
have made you, and the defign of my de- , ble by great and manifeil ellecls, that I aft, 
parture is actually to perform them. When ' in all things, agreeably to my Father's 
1 am returned to my Father, ye fliall foon'iwill, and am perfe611y inveRed with his 
receive fufficient pledges of my care and 'power; and that ye in like manner have 
remembrance of you : ye fhall be endued ! my power and comm.ifiion communicated 
with power not only to perform the fame | to you : fo that there is a perfeft unity and 
works ye have feen me do, as healing dil- j community between us ; only yc muR re- 
cafes, giving hght to the blind, caRingout^ member that the one neceffary conditionj 
devils, and the like, for the conviction of on which all depends, is, that ye contina« 
the Jews, but even to do greater things ' RedfaR and imm.ovable in your faith in me, 
than thofe ; to fpeak with all kinds of and in your obedience to my commands, 
tongues, and to propagate my religion | He, and he only, who embraces my doc- 
^hrough all the nations of the earth, even '; trine, and obeys and praftifes it, ihall be 
amongR the Gentiles. judged to be fmcere in his love towards me : 

As being ray difciplcs, and in order \.o \ And he that loveth mepall be loved of my 
promote the work of the gofpel, whatfo- 1 and I uiU love him, and will mara- 
ever ye Rial! aft. of my Father, in my '/f// 77z>y^//~ to him. 

name, Riall certainly be granted you : that Judas Thaddeus here interrupted his 
God may be greatly glorified, by the ex- Mailer, faying, Lord, how is it that thou 
traordmary fucceis and fpreadmg the reli- wilt mamfejt thyfclf unio us, and not unto 
gion of his Son, I fay, that Vv-haifoever yelthe worlds 

(hall aflc, I wdl take care, after my return To which Jesus replied, I have already 
to the Father, that it fliall be granted you ; \ told you the reafon for my afting in tliis 
only ye muR rcmeniber, as die necclfary I manner ; becaufe the generality of the 
condition upon which all depends, that ye ■world are not difpofed to obey my com- 
g)e careful above all things to continue ■ "^^^^idmentS; the neceffary condition of 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



209 



maintaining communion with me : but ye 
are difoofed to embrace my dodrine, and 
to obey it ; and, therefore, I maaifell: my- 
fclf to you. Aodwhocvcr elfc will ("0 love 
me as to keep my commandincnis, him 
alfo will 1 and my Father love, and wi 1 
maintain communion with him, and all 
fpiritual bleliings (liall be poured down 
upon him, and he (hall be made partaker 
ol'happinefs and eternal life. On the con- 
trary, whoever loves me not, that is, obeys 
not my commandments, fhall have no 
intercourfe or communion with me ; nei- 
ther will my Father love or honour him, 
or make any manifeftations of himfelf to 
him : for as my commandments are not 
my own, but the Father's commandments, 
therefore, whoever dilhonours me, my Fa- 
ther will lojk upon him as diflionouring 
himfelf. 

I have briefly fpoken thcfe things unto 
you now, according to the fhortnefs of the 
time I am to continue with you, and to 
comfort you for the prelent, againft my 
departure. But when the comforter whom 
I promifed you is come, even the Holy 
Spirit, whom my Father Tnall fend you 
on my account, he fhall inf^rutl you more 
fully, recalling to your remembrance what 
you have forgotten, explaining what is yet 
obfcure, and fupplying what is further ne- 
cefTary to^be taught you, and to be under- 
llood by you. In the mean time, I take 
my leave of you, and my bleffing I leave 
with you ; not formally, and after the 
common f^afhion of the world, but aiTec- 
tionately and fincerely, retaining a careful 
remembrance of you, and with an earneff 
defire and intention of returning again 
fpeedlly to you. Wherefore, be not over- 
much grieved for me and my departure, 
nor fearful of what may then befall your- 
felves : I go away from you, but it is 
with an intention, as I have already told 
you, to return to you again. If you loved 
rae with a wife and underltanding affeclion, 
ye would rejoice, inftead of grieving at my 
preftnt depariure ; becaiiie I am going to 
the Supreme Author of all glory and hap- 
pinels. even to my Father. 

I have njw told vou thcfe things before 
they come to paf-i, that when ye fee them 
happen, your faith in me, and your ex- 
peGation of the performance of all my 
promiics, m*y be cobhrmed and ftrcngth 



ened ; the time will not allow m.e to fay 
much more to you at prefent ; my end 
draweth near; the ruler of this world, the 
prince of the power of darknefs, is at this 
inilant employing all his wicked inRru- 
mcnts to apprehend and dellroy me : not 
that eiiher the power of the Devil, or the 
malice of man, can at all prevail over me ; 
but becaufe the time of my fufiering, ac- 
cording to the appointment of Divine 
Wifdom, is arrived ; and that I may de- 
monftrate to the world my love and obedi- 
ence to my Father, I willingly fubmit my- 
felftobe put to death by the hands of fin- 
ful and cruel men. Rife up, let us be going, 
that I may enter on my fufferings. See 
John, chap. xiv. ver. 1. to the end. 

Thus having fpoken, they finiflied the 
paflover with Tinging a hymn, and went 
out to the Mount of Olives. The hymn 
which they fung was probably that which" 
the Jews call the Hdliem, or great hymn, 
which confilied of the hundred and thir- 
teenth and five fubfequent Pfalms ; part of 
which was fung at the beginning of the 
fblemnity, and part at the end. 

When they arrived at the place which 
was to be the fcene of his fuflPerings, he 
defired them to fortify themfclves by 
prayer, and forewarned them of the ter- 
rible effefts his fufferings would have upon 
them ; they would make them all flumble 
that very night, agreeably to the prophecy 
of Zechariah : / will fniite the Jhep'urd, 
and the JJieep of the jhck piall be fcaita ed 
abroad. Therefore, he not only men- 
tioned his own refurreftion, but told them 
they fiiould fee him in Galilee, after he 
was rifen from the dead, in order to 
flrenothen their faith. 

Peter, on oar blefled Saviours men-' 
tioning the offence that his difciples would 
take at his fufferings, recoUetled what had 
been faid to him in particular, before they 
left the houfe. Grieving therefore afreil>, 
to find his Mafler entertain fuch thought."? 
of him, and being now armed with a fv/ord, 
the vehemence of his temper urged him to 
boafl a fecond time of his courageous and 
clofe attachment to his Mafter : ThoyghaU 
rd-n, faid he, Jhou.'d be ojfcnded becaufe of 
thee, yet will I nojcr bz offended. But 
Jesus, knowing that confidence and kcu- 
rity-^are great enemies to virtue, thought 
proper to forewarn him again of his danger, 



tie 



LIFE OFJESUS CHRIST, 



and told him, that th^ cock fliould not ' Continue ReadraRIy in this flate, and then 
crow before he had denied him. Peter, | you may he lure of derising all fpn itual 
however, ftill continued to repeat his con- 'blelhngs from me, as the branche» receive 
fidence, I will die with thee, but never ; fap and nourifhment from the vine : butas 
deny thee. The difciples all joined with 'a branch, without continuing in the vine, 
Peter in profelling iheir hxed relolulion cA' cannot bear any fruit, but prefently dries 



iullering death, rather than they would 
deny their Mailer ; but the event fully con- 
firmed the prediftion of our Saviour. 
From whence we may learn, how igno- 
rant men are of themfelves 

Our dear Lord, not v/illing to lofe one 
Tingle moment of the Oiort time of his 
miniftry that yet remained, continued to 
jnRru6t his dilciples in the great truths he 
came into the world to explain ; and from 
the vines, which were growing round him 
on the Mount of Olives, he began his ex- 
cellent difcourfe with the parable of the 
vine, which we fliall endeavour to explain 
?n the following manner. 

Hitherto, faid the compaffionate Re- 
deemer of mankind, the Jewifh church 
and nation have been the peculiar care of 
Providence ; as a choice and goodly vine, 
likely to bring forth much f ruit, is the ef- 
pecial ca re of the hufbandman : but from 
henceforth, my church, my difciples, and 
the profefibrs of my religion, of what- 
foever country or nation they be, fhall be- 
come the people of God, and the peculiar 



up and periflies ; fo ye, unlels ye continue 
lieadfalt in your communion with me, by 
a lively faith and hnccre obedience, fo as 
to receive grace andfpiritual bleffings, can 
never bring forth any good fruit of true 
holinefs and righteoufneis, but will fall into 
vanity, fupcritition, and v.^ickednefs, and 
will utterly perifh at lall. I fay I am, as 
it were, the root and (lock of the vine, 
whereof ye are the branches : he that con- 
tinues to adhere to me, by conflant faith 
in me, by imitating my example, and by 
obeying my commands, fhall bring forth 
much fruit, of true virtue and holinefs, 
into everlafling life ; even as a branch 
which continues to grow in a vine, and 
receives fap and nourilhment from it : but 
he that does not continue his relation to 
me in this manner, is a falfe and ufelefs 
profeflor of my religion, and fhall be call 
out from me, and perilh for ever; even as 
a fruitlefs branch is cut off" from the vine, 
and left to wither and dry, and is at laff 
burnt in the fire : but if ye continue in me, 
by believing my words, and holding fall 



care of Divine Providence: 1 will be to i what ye believe, and obeying and prac- 
them as the root and flock of the vin?, of ; tihng it, no power, or malice, either of 
which mv Father is the hufbandman and | man or of devils, fhall be able to hurt 



vine-dreffer, and they are the branches. 

As the fkilful vine-dreffer, in the ma- 
nagement of a choice vine, cuts off all bar 



you, or oppofe your do6lrines : for though 
I be abfent from you in body, yet I will 
hear your prayers, and my Father him« 



ren and fuperfluous branches, that they | felf alio will hear you ; and whatfoever ye 
may not burden nor exhaufl the tree, and ^fliall aflv, for the glory of the Almighty, 
prunes and dreffes the fruitful branches, ' and the propagation of my true religion 
that they may grow continually, and bear | in the world, fhall certainly be granted 
more fruit : fo in the government of my you : but, above all things, carefully re^ 
church, all ufelefs, wicked, and incorrigi- member to demonflraie your continuance 
ble members, my Father, by iiis juft judg- in me, by abounding in all good works of 
ment, cuts off and deftroys ; but thole who ! holinefs, righteoufnefs, and charily. This 
are fincerely pious and good, he, by the va- is the honour which my Father dehrcs and 



rious and merciful difpenfations of his pro- 
vidence towards them, tiies, purifies, and 
amends, that they may daily improve, and 
be more and more abundant in all good 
works. Now ye, my apoillcs, are fuch 
members as thefe, being purified in heart 
and mind, and prepared for every good 
work, by your lively faith in me, and fin- 
cere lefoiulioiis to obey my commands. 



expe6is from you, even as it is the glory 
and defire of a vine-dre ffer, that his vine 
fhould bring fbrih much fruit ; and this is 
the honour that I myfelf exped from ) ou, 
that ye fhould prove yourfelves to be really 
and indeed my difciples, by imitating my 
example and obeying my commands : this 
ye are bound to do, not only in duty, but 
in gratitude alfu ; for as my Father hath 



AXD LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



21 1 



loved me, Tj have I alfo loved you, and 
ye in like manner ought to love me again, 
that you may continue to be loved by me : 
but the way to exprefs your love towards 
me, and to continue to be lovtd by me, is 
to keep my commandments ; even as I, by 
keeping my Father's commandments, have 
cxpreiled my love tov/ards him, and con- 
tinue to be loved by hiin. 

I-havefpoken to 'you thefe things before 
my departure, that the comfort ye have 
taken in my prefence, may be continued 
in my abfence, and even increafed at the 
com.ing of the Holy Spirit, as it will be 
i;pon ihis condition, which I have Pj often 
repeated to y^^u, that you keep my com- 
mandments : and the principal of thefe 
commandments is, that ye love one anoth- 
er, not after the common fahnon of the 
world, but in fuch a manner as I have loved 
you, nor can you be ignorant what fort 
of love that is,' when I tell you that I am 
now going to lay down my IHe for you : 
this is the; higheft inftance, in vsrhich it is 
poffible for a man to exprefs his love to- 
wards his greateft friends and benefactors : 
and this 1 am now going to do for you, 
and for all mankind : 1 do not confiier 
you as m.y benefaftors, but as my friends, 
upon this eafy condition only, that ye 
keep my commandments. I might, indeed, 
juftiy call you fervants, confidering the in- 
finite diftance between me and you, and 
the obligation ye have to obey my com- 
mandments : but I have not treated you as 
fervants, who are not admitted into their 
maflers councils, but as friend., repealing 
to you, with all freedom and plainncfs, 
tli2 whole will of my Father. 

I fay, I have behaved inyfelf to you, as 
to the neareil friends: not that you firii 
obliged me, nor did any ails of kindnefs 
for me, but I have freely, and of my own 
good pleauire, chofen you to be my 
apoftles, and the preachers of my gofpel, 
that you may go and declare the will ot 
God to the world, and bring forth much 
and lading fruit, in the converfion of men 
to the knowledge of the truth, and to the 
profelTion and praCtiie of true religion and 
virtue. In the performance of this work, 
whatfoever ye (hall afk ot my Father in my 
name, it fhall certainly be grunted you, 
in order to enable you to perform it cffe6l- 
ualiv, and with full iucccfs. 



In all thefe things which I have fpokcn 
unto you concerning the greatnefs of my 
love towards you, in choofing you to be rr,y 
apoiiles, in revealing unto you the whol-^ 
will of my Father, and in laying down mv 
life for you ; I have urged and inculcated 
upon you this reafon chiefly, as I at firfl 
told you, that ye may learn, after my ex- 
ample, to one another. The world, 
indeed, you mull cxpe6l, will hate and 
pcrfccute you upon my account ; but tliis 
you ought not to be furprifed cr terrihcd 
at, knowing that I myfelfhave met with 
the fame treatment before you. 

But the reafon why the generality of 
the world have oppofed and perfecuted 
me, is becaufe my doctrine is inconfillent 
with their lulls and paflfions, their coNCt- 
ouf sefs and unjuft ambition ; and, for the 
fame reaf m, there is no doubt but they 
will oppofe and perfecute you alfo. If yc 
were of the fpirit of the world, flattering 
men in their fins, and teaching doctrines 
confident with their lufls and pafhons, 
the world, doubtlefs, would love and hon- 
our you ; but fince I have chofen you out 
of the world, to reprove its rices, and to 
preach the neceffity of reformation, and of 
men amending their lives, if the world hate 
and perfecute you, wonder not. 

Therefore, be not furprifed, when )-c 
meet with oppofition ; nor think to find 
better treatment in the world, than I my- 
felf have done. Remember what I have 
already told you, that the difciple is not 
above his Waller, nor is he that is fent 
greater than he that fent him. If men l;iad 
generally and readily embraced ray doc- 
trine, you might, indeed, have had fome 
reafon to expeft, that they would willingly 
have received yours alfo: but fincc I mv- 
felf have fuffered great indignities and 
pcriecutions from u^cked and perverfe, 
from obflinate and incorrigible men, only 
for oppofing their vices, it is highly rea- 
fonable that you fhould expetl to undergo 
the like treatment upon the like account : 
in all which fufferings you will moieover 
have this comfortable confideration to fur- 
port you, that the juaice of your own caufe, 
ind the injuftice of your perfecutors, will 
3v that very means mod evidently appear : 
feeing yc are perfecuted only for profeliing 
and preaching in my name the doctrine 
of true religion and virtue ; and ihev ptr- 



21 2 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST, 



fecutc yoti only, becaufe they know not be wanting powerful promoters of it, who 
Goci. and out of mere malice will not bear fhall elfetiually overcome all oppohtion : 
to be inftructed in hi^ command. Indeed, for the comforter, whom I faid 1 will fend 



had not I appeared to the world with all 
podible demonllrations of auihority and 
truth, leaching men a mofl holy and un- 
deniable do61rine, fufHcient to reform their 
manners and axnend their lives, and more- 
over demonftrating my divine commiihon, 
by fuch proofs as ought to fatisfy and 
convince the moft doubting and fufpicious 
minds ; they might have had fomc plea 
and excufe of ignorance for their unbelief; 
but now, fince all reafonable evidence has 
been offered them, and proper methods 
ufcd for their converfion and falvation, 
and yet they wilfully and obllinatelv reje6i 
thefe means of grace, it is plain they have 
no excufe for their fm ; but they oppofe 
and periecute you only becaufe they will 
not forfake their worldly luRs, and out of 
mere malice will not bear to be inftrufted 
in the commands of the Almighty : fo that 
they who oppofe and perfecute you, as 
they have before perfecuted me, fhew 
plainly that they are haters of God, and of 
his moil holy commandments ; which is, 
as 1 have already told you, a plain evi- 
dence of the injuftice of your perfecutors, 
and of the jufhice of your own caufe, 

I fay, il I had not done fuch works 
amongft them as no man ever did, they 
might, indeed, have had fome appearance 
of excufe for their fin : but now, having 
feen abundant proofs of my authority, and 
undeniable evidence of the truth of my 
dotlrine, and yet wilfully and obftinately 
perlilling to oppofe it, becaufe inconfiftent 
with their lufts ; it is plain that their dif- 
honourinff me, is a dilhonour done to God 
hindelr, and a dire6l contempt of his com- 
mands ; fo that they are utterly inexcufable. 
But it is no wonder, when men have given 
themfelves wholly up to be governed by 
worldly alfeftions, palTions, and vices, the) 
fliould a£l contrary to all the reafon and 
evidence in the world ; for this is but the 
natural coniequence of obftinate and ha- 
bitual wickednefs ; and hereby is only ful- 
filled in me, what holy David long fi nee 
prophetically complained of, that they ha- 
ted him without a. caufe. 

However, notwithftanding all the oppo- 
fuion that wicked and incorrigible men will 
againll my dodrine,. there will not 



sjake 



you from heaven, even that ffirit of truths 
which coracih forth, and is lent from the 
Father, (hall, v/hen he cometh, with won- 
derful efficacy, bear te'iimony to the truth 
of my doctrine, and caufe it to fpread 
through the world with incredible fuccefs ; 
nay, and ye yourfelves alfo, though now 
fo weak, fearful, and doubting, lhall then 
very powerfully bear teflimony to the truth 
of all the things whereof ye have bem eye 
v/itneffes from the beginning, having been 
all along prefent with me. 

I have thus warned you beforehand, of 
the oppofition and perfecution ye muft ex- 
pe£l to meet with in the world, that when 
it cometh ye may not be furprifed and ter- 
rified, fo as to be difcouraged thereby from 
perfiiJing in the performance of your duty. 
Ye muft expeft particularly, that the chief 
priefts and rulers of the Jews, men of great 
hypocrify and fuperftition, zealous for their 
ceremonies and ritual traditions, butcare- 
lefs to know and obey the will ot Omnipo- 
tence in matters of great and eternal obli- 
gation, and invincibly prejudiced againft 
the fpiritual holinefs and purity of my 
doftrine ; thefe, I lay, you muft expefl: 
will excommunicate you as apoftates, and 
caft you out of all their focieties, as the 
vileft of malefaft ors ; nay, to fuch an ab- 
furd height of malice will their fuperftitioa 
carry them, that they will even fancy ther 
promote the fervice of God, and the caufe 
of religion, when they moft barbaroufty 
murder and deftroy you : but I have 
warned you of all this beforehand, that ye 
may prepare and fortify yourfelves againft 
it, that ye may remember I foretold it to 
you, and that your faith in me may there- 
by be ftrengthened, when it cometh to 
pal's. 

Indeed, I did not tell you particularly 
of thefe things at the beginning, when yoa 
iirft followed me and became my difcipleSj, 
becaufe then I was to continue with you 
in perfon, and fupport you in all things 
by my immediate prefence : but now, be- 
ing about to leave you, I think it neccfl^ary 
to acquaint you what things are likely to 
come upon you after my departure, and 
alfo what comfort you may expeft to fup- 
port you under them, at the fame timc» 



AMD LIVES OF 



HIS APOSTLES. 



I muH: now mention the melancholy 
•parr, namely, that I am going from you, 
and that grea* temptations v;iU befall you 
in n)V ablence ; this, indeed, ye readily 
apprehend, and fuffer your hearts to be 
overwhelmed with grief at the thoughts ol 
it: but the comfortable part of my dif- 
-courfe, namely, that my departure is only 
ill order to rkurn to him that lent me, 
and that I will foon after fend you the Holy 
Spirit, and the other advantages that will 
thence refuh to you, are neither confider- 
ed, nor are you felicitous about them. Nev- 
erthelefs, if ye will lilfen, I will plainly tell 
you the truth : ye are fo far from having 
reafon to be dejeftedatthe thoughts of my 
departure, that, on the contrary, it is really 
profitable and expedient for you, that I 
ihould now depart ; for fuch is the order 
and difpenfation of Providence towards 
you, and the appointment of my Father's 
eternal and all-wife council, that before I 
go and take poifeffion of my kingdom, the 
comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, Qan- 
not be fent 'unto you ; but when i am 
departed from you, and have all power in 
heaven and earth committed unto me, then 
I will fend him unto you : and when he 
Cometh he fhali abundantly fupport and 
comfort you under all your troubles ; (hall 
powerfully plead your caufe againft your 
adverfaries ; and fhall, with wonderful effi- 
cacy, caufe the doftrine of the gofpel to 
fpread and prevail in the world againft all 
oppofition : he Ihall particularly, and in a 
moft extraordinary and convincing man- 
ner, make the world fenhble of the great- 
nefs and heinoufnefs of a fin of which they 
were not aware, of the righteoufnefs and 
juftice of a difpenfation they did not un- 
derftand, and of the execution of a mofl: 
remarkable judgment they did not expe6L 
Firfh, by wonderfully attefting and con- 
firming the truth of my do6lrme, by the 
gift of tongues, and other wonderful figns, 
he fhall convince the world of the great- 
nefs and heinoufnefs of their fms, in dif- 
believing and rejefting me. Secondly, by 
demonftrating, that my departure out of 
the world, was not perifliing and dying, 
but only a returning to my Father, m order 
to be invelled with al-l power both in hea- 
ven and earth, he Ihall convince the world 
of ihc righteou'nefs and juftice of my caufe, 
and of the excellency of that difpenfation' 

3 



which I preached and declared to mankind. 
Lailly, he (hall convince men of my power 
and authority to execute judgment upori 
mine enemies, for the ellabliihment ol rny 
kingdom upon earth, by mightily dcltroy- 
ing the power of the Devil and the do- 
minion of fin, and propagating the doi;- 
irine of true religion in the world, with 
wonderful efFicacy and fuccef*^. 

Many other things are yet hereafter to 
be done in relation to the fcltling and cila- 
blilhing of my church, which, if it were 
proper, I would now acquaiat you with, 
but ye are not yet prepared to underdand 
and receive them. Howbeit, when the 
Spirit of Truth, whom I promifed you, is 
come, he {hall enlarge your underftandings/ 
remove your prejudices, and infiru^l you 
in all neceffary and divine truths, to enable 
you to go through that great work, which 
I have begun in pcrfon, and which I v/ill 
carry on by your miniflry ; for the Spirit 
is not to begin any new work, or to found 
any new doftrine of himfelf : but as I have 
taught and will teach you only in my Fa- 
ther's name, fo the Spirit fhall inflru6f you 
only in mine and my Father's will, and in 
things neceffary to promote and carry on 
the fame defign. Every thing that h 
does fhall be only in order to manifefl 
my glory, and eftablifh my religion in the 
world ; even as every thing that I have 
done, has been only to manifefl my Fa- 
ther's glory, and reveal his will to man- 
kind : for as all that I have taught is only 
what I received from my Father, fo all 
that the Spirit fhall teach you, is only what 
he receives from me. Whatfoever, I fay, 
the Spirit fiiall teach you, is only what he 
receives from me ; for receiving from my 
Father, I call receiving from me, and 
teaching his will, is teaching mine ; feeing 
all things that the Father hath, are com- 
mon to me, and all power and dominion 
is committed to me by him. 

Be careful now to remember what mat- 
ter for comfort I have given you, and 
fupport yourfelvcs with it, under the ap- 
proaching diflrefs. It is now, indeed, but 
a very little while before I fhall be taken 
away from you ; neverthelefs, let not this 
caufe you to defpair: for, after I am de- 
parted, it will be alfo but a little while 
before I appear to you again ; inaimuch as 
my being taken awav from vou is not pc- 

F 



214 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST, 



riraing, but only returning to my Father, j inftruB. you upon every occanon, as I h'av© 
At iheib lail words of Jksus, tlie difciples t now done wiih my own mouih : for be>^ 
were greatly diilurbed and troubled, not! lides that the Holy Spirit will be lent to 
underit.inding his true meaning, that in alinftruftyoa in all thin.33 neceffary, my 
very Ihort time he (hould be taken from • Father himfelf alfo will hear your petitions, 
them by death ; and that, aficr having and be ready to grant you whatfoever you 
overcome death by a glorious refurre6lion, j fhall defire of liim in my name, as feeing 
he would appear to them again before his^ miy difciples. Hiiherto ye have afked no- 
afcenhon into heaven. Not underllandingj thing of God in my name ; but from hence- 
this, they enquired, one of another, whatj forth put up your petitions in my name, 
ean he mean by telling us, that in a very ^ and whatfoever ye Orall i'o afk for the glory 
little time he iliall be taken out of our of God, and in ordtr to enable you to go 
fight ; and that in a very little time more,' through the work of your rainillry fucccfs- 
we ihall fee him again, and this becaufe fully, lhall certainly be granted you ; that 
he goeth to the Father ? The meaning of your joy, v/hich will begin at m.y appear- 
all this we cannot underftand. ing to you again after my death, may be 
But Jesus obferving their perplexity, completed by the wonderful fuccefs and 
and knowing that they were dehrous of efficacy of your own minillry. Thefe 
tifiving him, replied. Why are ye thus | things I have told you, at prefcnt, imper- 
dillurbed and perplexed about what I told ; feft and obfcurely, accordmg as your ca- 
you ? Is it a thing ib very hard to be un- 1 pacities are able to bear them; but the 
derllood, that I faid, within a very little j time is coming, when your prejudices be- 
time I iliould be taken away from you,' ing removed, I will fpeak to you with more 
and that within a very little time more, ; opennefs, freedom, and plainnefs, the whole 
I Ihould appear to you agam ? Verily, | will of my Father, concerning the nature 
verily, I tell you I muil foon depart out | and eilablithment of my kingdom, and what 
of this world : and when the world, who . things ye ought to pray unto him for, and 
are your enemies, v/ill rejoice and triumph ' in what manner. 

over you, as if they had dellroyed me, I Ye ihall, at that time, with firm affu* 
and wholly fupprelied you ; ye for your ! ranee pray to ray Father in my name, for 
parts will be overwhelmed with grief and j what ye want ; and I need not tell you, 
forrcvv' ; but, within a fliort time, I v^^ill that I will intercede with the Father on 
return to you again, and then your for- [ your behalf: for befides the love he has 
rov/ fliall be turned into exceeding great j for m,e, and the power and authority my 
joy : even as a woman, when fhe is in; prayers have with him, he has, moreover, 
labour, hath great pain and forrow for the ; of himfelf, a great love for you, and a 
prefent, but, as foon as fire is delivered, ! ready difpohtion to grant your prayers, 
forgets all her fufferings, and rejoices i becaufe ye are become grateful and ac- 
grcatly at the birth of her fon ; fo ye, | ceptable to him, by your love towards me, 
while ye are under the immediate appre- i which ye have ihewn, in embracing wil- 
henfion of ray departure from you, and , lingly that Holy do6lrine which I have re- 
during that time of dillrefs and temptation, - vealed to you from him. 
which Pnajl befall you in my abfence, will j Now to conclude the fum of what I 
be full of forrow and anxiety of mind ; have told you, is briefly and plainly this : 
but, when I return to you again, then ye I came down from heaven from God my 
ihall rejoice with joy unfpeakable and full Father, and have lived upon earth in the 
of glory, and the caufe or continuance of ftate of frail and mortal man, that I might 
it, no power or malice of man fhall ever \ reveal to m>ankind the will of my heavenly 
be able to take from you any more. j Father, and the way to obtain eternal life 

However, though I (hall return to you j and happinefs : and now having fini[hed 
again, and your hearts will thereupon be ' this great work, I am about to leave this 
filled with inexpreffible joy, and which world, and return again to my Father, from 
never fliall be taken IVom you any more whence l at firil; came.' Thefe lafl words 
yet there vvill be no necehiiy that I (huuld ! of Jesus, being fbmewhat more plain and 
then ccniinuc long with you in perfon, toiexprefs, than any he had before fpokerjj 



AKD LIVES OF HIS APOSTLE^. 



2 I 



f(y that now thedifciples clearly perceived, ' 
thai the departure he had lo often men- 
tioned, Nvas no other than liis actual going 
out of this world, they replied, Now, Lord, ^ 
thou fpeaked plainly, and vriihout any ! 
hgure ; i"o that we apprehend fully what, 
thou meanelL And now that cur curioh'.y , 
is laiished, thou hall likewiic greatly con- i 
lirmed our faith ; lia\ ing given us a ccr- j 
lain token, wniereby we are alfured that j 
thou knoweft all thinijs, even the hearts and ! 
fecret thoughts of men, hnce thou halt an- ! 
fiiVered us a quehion which gave us great 
perplexity, and we were defiro'js to afk thy 
opinion of, but were afiaid : but now we 
are convinced, that thou art endued with a 
truly divine power, and did indeed come 
forth from God. To v. hich Jesus anfwer- 
ed, and do you now at length hrmly believe 
in me ? Are you refolved to continue ftead- 
fafl in this faith ? Do you think yourfelves 
able to perievere immoveably in the polfef- 
hon of it ? Be not confident of your own 
ftrength, but pray that ye may be delivered 
from temutation in time of diftrefs, fuch as 
%vill come upon you much looner than ye 
expect : for I tell yon, that ye will all of 
you, within a few hours, utterly forfake me, 
and fly, in hopes to fecure yourfelves, leav- 
incT me alone : and yet I fnould not fay 
alone, fmce my Father is with me who is 
more than all : I have therefore acquaint- j 
ed you with ihefe things beforehand, that ! 
your minds may be furnifiied with fulticient j 
matter of comfort and ftrength to bear up j 
under all te.i'ptations, from the confidera- ! 
tion of my having foretold both \yhat dif- | 
trelfes will befall you, and how ye (hall ter- j 
mirsate your vlftory over all your enemies ! ; 
Thefe tilings I have fpoken unto you, that \ 
in me ye might have peace. In the xvorld , 
ye Jhall have tribulation : but be of good 
cheer ; I h.iv: overcome tlie njorld, John 
xvi. 33. 

Thus having finiihed his difcourfe, Jesus 
lifted up his eyes to heaven, and prayed, ! 
faying, O Almighty Father ! nosv the time j 
of my fufferings, tor which I was fent into | 
the world, is arrived ; I entreat thee, fup- \ 
port me under it, and make me triumph \ 
over d?ath by a glorious refurreftion and ; 
alcenhon mto heaven ; that by this means ^ 
the glory may redound to thee, and caufe 
tliy will to be believed and obeyed through 
all the world to the fcilvation of mankind ; ; 



according to the full intent of that office 
and power with which thoudidlt originally 
in veil me to receive all Hrly difpoled per- 
iop.s into the covenant of falvution, and to 
ainil and preferve them in it unto ever- 
laliing happinefs : the condition of this 
covenant is, that th.cy Brmly believe and 
obey thee, as tl^e only true God, and. 
Jesus Christ, as the true Meffiah whom 
thou halt fent. In order to the bringing 
about this great defign of falvation, I have 
declared thy will to mankind ; I have 
publilhed thy prejepts, and difcharged 
the great mihion intruded to me ; I have 
preached the doctrine of repentance to 
ialvation, and have finiihed the vvork 
which thou hail fent me to do, to the glory 
of thy name upon earth; and now to 
comoletethe (^reat deh>^n, do thou, O Al- 
miglity Father ! like wife glorify me with 
thine own felf ; fapport me under my luf- 
fering ; let me prevail and triumph over 
death, by a glorious refurrection, and ex- 
alt me agrain to the fame ^lory in heaven 
v>'hich I had with thee before the creation 
of the univerfe. I have manifefled thy 
will to my difciples, the men that thou 
p-aveil me out of the woild, and to ail fuch 
as were htted and difpofed to receive it ; 
to fuch as by a pious habit, and teachable 
difpofition, were prepared to embrace 
whatever doctrine Ihould appear to come 
from thee. To thofe perfons thou didl't 
in thine iniinite wifdom appoint, that thy 
truth (hould be made known, and not to 
the prejudi^:ed and viiious world : then> 
fore, to them I have revealed the myftc- 
ries of thy kingdom, the precepts of thy 
gofpel, and the dottrine of thy Ialvation : 
and this doctrine they have willingly em- 
braced, [leadfailly adliered to, and iincerely 
obeyed ; as they are fully (atisned and con- 
vinced, that what I taught them as from 
thee, was really a divine doctrine tauolic 
by thine immediate appointment and com- 
mand ; and that I did not preach any \vi~ 
man invention or inllitution of men, but 
was really fent by thy divine autliori'.y and 
commiuion. For thefe perfons, therefore, 
I nov^ pr-^Vj ^^^'''^ thou hall begun the 
woik of their falvation by my preaching 
and revealing to them my will, while 1 
have been prefent with theni here upon 
earth ; fo alfo that thou v\'ouldll pp lei vc 
them when I am departed irom ihii world, 



«i6 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST, 



and complete the work of tlieir (iilvation, 
by my reiurre61ion and aCcenfion into hea- 
ven after my death. I do not pray for the 
unbelieving impenitent world, but fcr thoie 
■who have embraced that moH; holy doc- 
trine, which thou hail taught them through 
me by my preaching ; for thofe who have 
glorified and will glorify my name by their 
miniftry, and who confequently are to be 
citeemed as thine own, in common with 
me. I am now about to leave the world 
in order to return to thee, but thefe my 
difciples, who continue after me, I recom- 
mend to thy divine proteftion, when I am 
gone ; endue them with powers to perfe- 
verc in preaching and praftvfing the truth, 
and to deliver ihe fame holy do8rines 
which I have given to them, that fo they 
may remain infeparably united to me, as 
I am to thee : fo long as I have been with 
them in the world, 1 have watched over 
them, and kept them from falling away, 
both by example, preaching, and continual 
admonition, according to the power and 
authority which thou didft commit to me ; 
nor has one of my apoRles mifcarried un- 
der my care, except that pcrhdious traitor, 
who as the Scripture foretold, has un- 
gratefully confpired with ray enemies to 
deftroy me, and will perifli according to 
his deierts. While I have continued with 
my difciples, I have watched over them 
and preferved them under my own eye ; 
but now, as I am going to leave the world, 
I befeech thee to keep and aihll them by 
thy good Spirit ; and let the expeft ation 
of their continuing under thy fpecial care 
and protefclion, be their comfort and fup- 
port in my abfence. The world, indeed, 
will perfccute and hate them on this ac- 
count, as my do8,rine is repugnant to the 
luffs and affedions, the paffions, defigns, 
and inclinations of worldly men; it mull 
Jieccffarily be, that the vitious and incor- 
rigible world will oppofe and perfecute 
them, as it has before perfecuted me ; I 
befeech thee, therefore, to take them under 
thy particular care, to fupport them againfl 
the violence and opprefiion of an evil 
world : I do not defire that thou fhouldll 
take them out of the world, but preferve 
them in it to be inftruments of thy word, 
thy glory, and to be teachers of thy truth ; 
nor fuller them to be either deftroyed by 
the malice and violence of a perverfe and 



wicked generation, or corrupted by t1ie 
evil cuftoms and opinions of ir. 

According to the example of purity 
which I have fet before them, they are of 
a temper and fpirit very different from 
the current affeflions and common difpofi- 
tions of the world. Do thou preferve and 
increafe in them that moderation and can- 
dour of mind ; caufe them to be thoroughly 
afiefted and imprelTed with that true doc- 
trine fo frequently recommended to them 
from my mouth, fo as to exprefs it vifibiy 
in their lives and practice, and to promote 
it zealoufly in their preaching, that they 
may become worthy and fuccefsful mini- 
fters of my gofpel, both by word and good 
example. 

As thou haft fent me into the world to 
reveal thy will to mankind, fo fend I thefe 
my apofties to continue preaching the fame 
doftrine begun by me ; and the principal 
defign ol ray exemplary life, conllant teach- 
ing, and now voluntarily offering myfelf to 
death for it, is to fanftify and enable them 
to preach with fuccefs and efficacy for the 
falvation of men. Neither pray 1 for thefe 
my apofi-les only, but fcr all others, who 
fliall, by their preaching and praftice, pro- 
mote thy true religion ; and being con- 
verted from the world, may, by their fin- 
cere endeavours, go on to reform others, 
convincing the world of the excellency of 
their religion, and confequently enforcing 
men to acknowledge the truth and divine 
authority thereof : for promoting which 
great end, I have communicated to my 
apofties the fame power and authority of 
doing mighty works for the confirmation 
of their do6lrine, and the evidence of thy 
truth, as thou didft communicate to me ; 
that fo i working in them as thou hall done 
in me, and thus confirming with great effi- 
cacy and demonftration of the Spirit, they 
may eilablilh the fame do6frine which I 
publifhed in perfon, that the world may, 
by this evidence, be convinced that I was 
really fent by thee, and that my difciples 
may aft by the fame divine commiffion that 
I did. 

Almighty and Holy Father, all thofe 
whom thou hafi thus given me, who have 
wifely embraced my do6lrine, andfincerely 
obeyed it, 1 defire that thoo wouldif make 
them partakers of the fame happinefs with 
myfclf, and exalt them cO behold the in- 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



217 



comprehenfible glory wherewith ihou didfl. 
originally invert me in thy eternal love, 
before the foundation of the world. The 



and honefly ; and they have fmbraccd and 
obeyed it : and I will continually make it 
known to them more and more, that t!i< 



belore tne lounaauon ui wi^nu. * .x- - ; 

generality of mortals, O righteous Father! !may grow up and innprove m f.nth, m h )- 
the covetous and ambitious, the crafty and llinefs, and in all good works, io as hnally 
dehffnina- men of this world, have not to arrive and cau(e othe rs to arrive at that 
known thee, nor been willing to embrace 'eternal happineis, which is the etlctt of 
and obey the revelation of thy will : but I thy infinite love and mercy towards mc 
have known thy will, and have made it' andihem. 
known to my difciples, men of hmplicit), | 



CHAPTER XXXIIL 



Christ's A^ony and Prayer in the Garden of Gethfmane:^judis hetrayeth Jesus zcith 
a Kfs: The • ficers and Soldiers, at Christ's Word, fait to the Ground : Christ 
kealeth a Servant of the High-Pne/l, v^lvfe Ear zoas cut off by Peter : His Dfciples 
flee : He is led bound to Annas and Caiaphas, 



THE prayer of our great Interceffor ' 
being ended, he, with his difciples, 
came down from the Mount of Olives into 
a field below, called Gethfemane, through 
which the brook Cedron ran, and in it, 
on the other fide of the brook, was a 
garden, called the garden of Gethfemane. 
Here he defired his difciples to fit down, 
perhaps at the garden door within, till he 
Ihould retire to pray, taking with him, 
Peter, James, and John, thofe three feleft 
difciples whom he had before chofen to be 
witnelTes of his transfiguration, and now 
to be eye witnelTes of his paffion, leaving 
the other difciples at the garden door, to 
watch the approach of Judas and his band. 1 
The fufferings he was on the point of : 
undergoing were fo great, that the very ! 
profpetl of them terrified him, and made \ 
him exprefs himfelfin this doleful excla- j 
ination, My foul is exceeding forrowful, e'^^'en 
linto death: tarry ye here, and watch. On 
this great occafion he fuftained thofe griev- 
ous Tbrrows in his foul, by which, as well 
as by dying on the crofs, he became a fin- 
olfering. and accomplifiied the redemption 
oi mankind. He now withdrew from them 
about a ficne's call, and his human nature i 
being now overburdened beyond meafure, 
he found it neceflary to retire and pray, 
that if it were poffible, or conXirtent with 
the fdlvation of the world, he might be 

3 



'delivered from the fufiferings which were 
then lying on him : it was not the fear of 
dying on the crofs which made him fpeak 
or pray in fuch a manner; to fuppofe this, 
would infinitely degrade his charafter, 
make his fufferings as terrible as polfible, 
and clothe them with all the aggravating 
circumftances of diftrefs ; yet the blelTed 
Jesus, v/hofe human nature was ftrength- 
ened by being connecled with the divine, 
could not flirink at the profpeft of fuffer- 
ings, or betray a weaknefs which many of 
his followers, w^ho, though mere men, 
were ftrangers to ; having encountered 
more terrible deaths w-ithout the leaft emo- 
I tions. He addrefies his Divine Father with 
: a figh of fervent wifhes, that the cup might, 
I if pouible, be removed from him : in the 
■; Greek, it is, " O that thou wouldeft re- 
jmove this cup from me." And having 
firrt kneeled and prayed, he fell prortrate 
on his face, accompanying his addrefs with 
due exprefiions of refignation, adding im- 
mediately, Neverthelifs, not as I will, but 
as thou wilt. Having prayed, he returned 
to his difciples, and finding them afleep, 
he laid to Peter, Simon, feepejl thou ? 
i Couldjt thou not watch one heur ? Canft 
thou fo foon forget thy Marter ,^ Thou 
who fo lately boalled of thy courage and 
conftancy in ray fervice. 

However, in his crrea tell diftrefs; he nc- 

G 



2l8 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST, 



ver loft fight of that kind concern he had j tcr's fulferings : the fenfations of grief 
ior his dilciples : Watch ye, he fays, and \ which they ielt on feeing his unfpeakable 
pray, If Jl ye enter into temptation. Nei- | diitrefs, fo overpowered them, that they 
ther was lie on thofe extraordinary oc- I funk into fleep. Our bleffed Saviour for 
cafions, in the leall moved with the of- j the laft time came to his difciples, and 
fences which they had committed through i feeing them afleep, he faid, Sleep on novj, 
fraiky and human w^akncfs : on the con- land 'take your rejt : behold, the hour 2s at 
trary, was always willing to make excufes \ hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into 
for them; alleging in their defence, that\thc hands of finners. Rife, Ut us be 
the fpirit truly was ready, but the flcfJi was \ going : behold he is at hand that doth be- 
loeak. It feems from thefe particulars, ur^2jv me. 

that he fpent fonie confiderable time in his The owner of the garden, it feems, 
addrefies, becaufe the difciples fell a deep [where he now was, had been our Lord's 
in his abfence, and he himfelf retired again ! acquaintance, perhaps his difciple, who 
t3 pray ; for the forrows of our Lord con- believing on him, confidered himfelf as 
tinuing to jncreafe upon him, affe6led him highly honoured in Jesus' frequenting 
to fuch a degree, that he retired a fecond it, for the fake of retirement or devotion, 
time, and prayed to the fame purpofc, t and, therefore, had given him the free nfe 
f£>ying, 0 my Father^ if this cup may not it whenever he pleafed. We are told 
pa fs away from me, unlefs I dnnk it, /A)/ 1 that Judas knew the place; for Jefus oft^ 
zvill be done. After which he rttmntd times reforted thither with his difciples. The 
again to them, and found them aOeep,ycr ; chief priefts and elders being informed 
their eyes toere heavy. He returned thus by Judas, that the proper time for appre- 
frequently to his difciples, that they, by j hending Jesus was now come, fent a band 
reading his diftrels in his countenance and | of foldiers with him, and fervants carrying 
gedure, might be witntlfes of his paffion, i lanterns and torches, to fhew them the 
wdiich proves that his pains were beyond; way; becaufe, though it was always full 
defcripcion intenfe and complicated ; for j moon at the paffover, the fky might be 
he went away the third time to pray, and dark with clouds, and the place whither 
notwithfianding an angel was fent from Uhey were going was (haded with trees : 
];eaven to ferengthen and comfort him, yet ; at the fame time, a deputation of their 
ihc-y overwhelmed him, and threw him into ! number accompanied the band, to fee that 
aa agony ; upon Vk'hich he ftill continued | every one did his duty. Judas, having thus 
to pray more earnefily : but the fenfe of j received a band of men and officers from 
his fuflerings Rill increafing, they drained ; the chief priefts and Pharifees, cometh 
Iris whole body to fo violent a degree, that ! thither with lanterns and torches, and 
his blood v/as preifed through the pores | weapons ; for they were exceeding anx- 
of his fldn, which it pervaded, together i ious to fecure and get him into their hands : 
with his fweat, and fell down in large and the foldiers having perhaps never feeii 
drops on the ground : And he left them, J Jesus before, found it necelfary that Judas 
a.nd went away again. And there appeared iihould diftinguiOi him, and point him out 
an a^^gcl unto himfrom heaven, frengthen- \ to them by fome particular iign. St. Luke 
ing him. And being in an agony, he prayed ' {Q(tms, to fay, that Judas v/ent before them 
more earnefily : and his fweat was as it zvere ' at a little diftance, to prepare them for the 
great drops cf blood Jailing down to readier execution of their office, bykiiTmg 
ground. Thus did he (uffer unfpeakable his Mafter, the token they had agreed 
forrows in his foul, as long as tlie Divae upon, that they might not miftake him 
Wifdom thought proper. At length he and feize a wrong ptrfon : And he that was 
obtained relief, bemg heard on accoutu of called Judas, one (f 'he tioeLve, vjent bfore 
his perfect and entire (ubmiffion to the them, and drc.za near unto Jefus to kifs 
will of his heavenly Father : And whr. h: him. Nor can irse account vdnch St. John 
rofe up from prayer, aid was co?7io' /<? ^ has given us, i)e underJiood on any other 
dijclples, he found them fle.epir<g for y??r- ' fuppohi ion, who fays, that J:u!as v/as 
row. This circu mft ar. ce' fiiews hew much ■ come up with '.he loi-'^ r.?, J,: sr'S went out 
the difciples were aftetted v;ith their Maf- 'cf thegarden, and ciikcii tiicm, v.'ho it was 



AND LIVES OF PUS APOSTLES. 



tliey were ffeking? To \vhich ihey replied, | told you, 
Jejus of Naza-reth. It tiiercfore follows, his \viliin 
that thev were at a lofs to know him, which 
thty could not have been, had they ieen 
Judas kifs him : the kifs, therefore, mud 
have been given in the garden before the 
band caine up ; nor is their aareement 
about the fign incorifflent with this fuppo- 
fnion : bccaule that confufion which com- 
monly attends the commiffion of an evil 
acli.in, might prevent Judas from giving 
the hgn at the proper feafon. He went 
before the foldieis, on pretence that he 
would lead them to the place, and fhew 
them the man by kiiTmg him : however, 
to conceal his villany from his Mafter and 
the difciples, he walked hsftily, and with- 
out waiting for the band, went up direcily, 
and faluted him ; feigning, perhaps to ap- 
prife him of his danger. But Jesus did 
not fail to convince him that he knew the 
meaning and intent of his falutation, faying, 
Bdrayeji thou the Son oj man xjciih a kifs ■? 
Judas certainly concealed his treachery fo 
well, that Peter did not fufpeft him, as it 
is probable, he v^-ould have firuck at him 
rather than at Malchus, the high priefl's 
fervant, if he had. 

Our Lord's appointed time for lufFering 
being now^ come, he did not, as formerly, 
avoid his enerr.ies : but, on the contrary, 
on their telling him they fought Jesus of 
Nazareth, he replied, lam he: thereby 
infinuating to them, that he was willing to 
put himfelf into their hands : at the fame 
time, to fhew them that they could not 
apprehend him without his own ccnfent, 
he in an extra ordinary manner exerted his 
divine power, he made the whole band 
fall back, and threw them to the ground : 
jef-^s, therefore, hi owing all thing;s that 



that I am he ; cxprefFing again 
^nefs to fall into iheir hands : Jf 
therefore ye feck mc, let th(fe go their xvay. 
If ) Our buhi.cfs be with me alcnc, fulfer 
my difciples to pafs : for the party had 
furrounded them alfo. He feerrs to havo 
made this requefc to the fcldiers, that the 
frying might be fulflled uhich he f/wke, Of 
ihim tjchich thou, gaveft me have I loft none. 
For as he always proportions the trials of 
his people to their flrength ; lb here he 
took care that the difciples (hould efcapc 
the florm, which none but himfelf could 
bear. 

Some of the foldiers, more daring than 

the refi, at length rudely caught Jesus, 

and bound h-im : upon which Peter drew 

his fword, and fmote off the ear of the high 

priefl's fervant, who probably was fhewing 

greater forwardiiefs than the refl in this 

bufinefs ; Then Simon Peter, having a 

fv:ord, drew it, and fmote the high priefl's 

fervant, and cut off his right ear ; the fer- 

vanCs name was Malchus. The 

r 



enraged 

apoftle was on the point of hngly attack- 
ing the vrhole band, when Jesus ordered 
him to nieath his fword, telling him, that 
his unfeafonable and imprudent defence 
might prove tlie occaficn of his deffruc- 
tion : Then faid Jefus unto him, put up 
again thy fword inio his place ; for all 
they that take the fxord, faall pcrifli with 
the fword. He told him iikewife, that it 
implied both a diftruft of the Divine Provi- 
dence, v/hich can always employ a variety 
of means for the fc^fety of good men, and 
alfo his i2:norance in the Scriptures : 
Thinkeft thou, faid he, that I cannot new 
pray to my Father, and he fliall prefently 
give me more than twelve legions cf angels ^ 
But hozo then fliaU the Scriptures be ful- 



fhoidd come upon him, went forth, a,nd faid filed, that thus it mufi be ? Matt. xxvi. 
unto them, Wk:m feek ye ? They anfwered 
him, Jefds of Nazareth. Jefus faid unto 
them, 1 am he. And Jud.as alfo, which 
betrayed him, food iciih them. Asfoort then 
as he had Jaid unto them, I am he, ihey went 
backward, and fli to the ground. But il;e 
foldiers and the Jews imagining, perliaps, 
that they had been thrown down by fome 
daemon or evil fpirit, with whom the Jvtv/s 
faid he was in confederacy, advanced to- 
wards him a fecond time : Then ofked he 
them again, Whom feek ye ? And thiy fai l, 
J' fus of NazareJi. Jf us anfwered, 1 ha/u^ 



53' 54; 

Legion was a Roman military term, be- 
ing the name which they gave to a body 
of five or fix thoui'and men ; wherefore, in 
regard that the band, which nov^ furround- 
ed them, was a Roman cohort, our Lord 
might make ufe of this term by way of 
contraff, to Ihew whzt an inconfiderable 
thing the cohort was, in companion of 
the force he could furamon to his f fTiff- 
ance ; more than twelve leg:ons, not of 
foldiers. but of an^rels. He vet was ten- 
derly inclined to prevent any bad confc- 



020 



LIFE OFJESUS CHRIST, 



quences, whicli might have flowed from 
Peter's rarhnefs, by heaHng the fervant, 
ar,(i adding, in his rebuke to hjm, a de- 
claration of his wilHng-ners to fuffer : The 

cup xohicli my Father has giv^n me, Jliall I 
not drink it ? 



have broken thofe weak ties, and exerted 
his divinity in a more wonderful manner ; 
he could have ilricken them all dead, v/ith 
as much eai'e as he had before thrown 
them on the ground : but he patiently lub- 
mitted to this, as to every other indignity 



Our Lord's healing the ear of Milchus, I which they pleafed to offer him : fo meek 



by touching it, feems to imply, that he' 
created a new one in the place of that 
which was cut off ; but though he per- 
formed the curefome other way, it equally 
demonflrates both his goodnefs and his 
power. No wound or dillemper was in- 
curable in the hand of Jesus ; neither 
vas any injury fo great that he could 
not forgive. It feems fomewhat furprifing. 
that this evident miracle did not make an 
impreffion upon the chief prieffs, efpecially 



was he under the greatefl injuries. Havr 
ing thus {"ecured him, th-ey led him away : 
And there followed him a certain young man^ 
having a linen clo'.h caft about his naked 
body ; and the young man laid hold on him : 
and he left the linen cloth, and flea Jrom them 
naked. This, perhaps, was the proprietor 
of the garden ; who, being awakened with 
the noife, came out v/iih the linen cloih, 
in which he had been lying, caft round his 
naked body ; and forgetting the drefs he 



as our Lord put them in mind at the ; was in, and having a refpetl for Jesus 



fame time of his other miracles ; for ha- 
ving firft faid, Suffer ye thus far ; and he 



followed him.. 

He v/as firff led to Annas, father-in-law 



touched his ear, and healed him ; he added, \ of Caiaphas, who was high prieft that year, 
Be ye come out, as againft a thief, ^ Annas having himfelf difcharged the office 

fwords and flaves? When I was daily with \ of high prieft, was confequently a perfon 
you in the temple, ye ^retched forth no hands \ of diltinguilhed chara6ler, which, together 
dgainji mc : but this is your hour, and the \ with his relation to the high priefl, made 
power of dojrknefs, Luke xxii. 51, 52, 53. 1 him worthy of the refpeft they now paid 
They had kept at a diflance during the j him : but he refufed fingly- to meddle in 
attack, but drew near, when they under- j the affair; they, therefore, carried Jesus 
flood that Jesus was in their power ; for | to Caiaphas himfelf, at whofe palace the 
they were proof agaiqfl all conviction, be- 1 chief priefts, elders, and Scribes were af- 
ing obffinately bent on putting him to , fembled, having flaid there all night to fee 
death. And the difciples, when they faw j the iffue of their it ratagem. This Caiaphas 
thieir Mafler in the hands of his enemies, ! was he that advifed the council to put 
forfook him and fled, according to his pre- j Jesus to death, even admitting he was 
diftion ; notwithflanding they might have j innocent, for the fafety of the whole Jewifh 
followed him without any danger, as the! nation. He was advanced to the facer- 
priefls had no defign againfl them : 77^^71 'dotal dignity by Valerius Gratus, Pilate's 
all the difciples forfook him, and fled.. Then ! predeceffor, and was divefted of it by 
ihe band, and. the captain and officers of i^^g Vitellius, governor of Syria, after he had 



Jews, took Jefus, and hound him. But it 
was not the cord which held him ; his im- 
menfe charity was by far a ftronger band : 
he could, with more eafe than Sampfon, 



depofed Pilate from his procuratorfhip { 
and therefore feems to have enjoyed it, 
during the whole courfe of Pilate's govern- 
ment. 



I 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLIiS. 



221 



CHAPTER XXXIV. 



Peter thrice denies his hav'ng any Knowledge of Jesus ; dut on his Lor d's turning an.l 

looking on him, he repcnte'Ji. 



THE trial of our blcfTed Lord in the 
high-prieR's palace, and Peter s de- 
nying him, being co-temporary events, 
miglit be repeated by the evangelical hif- 
torians according to their pleafure. The 
cvangeliRs Matthew and Mark defcribe the 
trial hrll-, as it is the principal faft ; but 
Luke after the denials of Peter. John 
lias preferved the natural order here ; for 
he begins with the firfl; denial, becaufe it 
happened immediately after Peter entered 
the palace ; then gives the hiftory of the 
trial as the principal faft, concluding with 
the fubfequent denials. But though this 
be the natural order, we fhall view the de- 
nials together, previous to the trial, in or- 
der to form a better idea of them. 

When Jesus was apprehended, the apof- 
tles, in great confternation, forfook him, 
and fled, according to the prediftion con- 
cerning them: fomeofthem, however, re- 
covering out of the panic that had feized 
them, followed the band at a diftance, to 
fee what the iffue would be. Of this num- 
ber was Peter, and another difciple, whom 
John has mentioned without giving his name, 
and who, therefore, is fuppofed to have 
been John himfelf. This difciple, being ac- 
quainted at the high-priefl's, got admittance 
for himfelf firi}, and loon after for Peter, 
who had come with him : And Simon Peter 
followed J ejus, and fo did another difciple: 
that difciple was knoxon unto the high priefl, 
and went in with J fas into the palace of the 
highpriejl. But Peter flood at the door with- 
out. Then zoent out that other difciple, and 
fpake unto her that kept the door, and brought 
m Peter. And when they had kimdled afire 
in the midfl of the hall, and were ft down to- 
gether, Peter fat down among them. The 
niaid-fervant who kept the door con- 
cluding Peter to be a difciple alfo, follow- 
ed after him to the fire, and looking ear- 
nefily at him, charged him with the fup- 
pofed crime : Then faith the damfel.that 
kept the door unto Peter, Art not thou alfo 
me of this mans dfciples ? This blunt at- 
tack threw Peter mto fuch confuhon, that 

3 



he flatly denied his having any connection 
with Jesus, replying, / am fwt, and ad- 
ding, I know not, neither undcrfland 1 -what 
thou fayefi. As if he had faid, I do not 
underitand there is any reafon for your 
afking me fuch a queflion. Thus, the very 
a pottle who had bef ore ac knowledged his 
Matter to be the Mettiah, the Son of the 
Living God, who was honoured with the 
keys of the kingdom of heaven, and had 
fo confidently boatted of fortitude, and 
firm attachment to him in thegreatett. dan- 
gers, proved an arrant defemer of his caule 
upon trial. His fiiam.eful fears were alto- 
gether inexcufable, as the enemy who at- 
tacked him was one of the weaker fex, and 
the terror of the charge was, in a great 
meafure, taken offby the infinuation made 
in it, that John was likewife known to be 
Christ's difciple ; for as he was known 
at the high prieft's, he was confequently 
known in that charaftcr : Art thou not 
alfo one of this man's dfciples ? Art thou 
not one of them as well as he who is fit- 
ting with you ? Equivocation, mental re- 
fervation, and fuch like bafe arts, are be- 
low the dignity and courage of reafonable 
creatures; but downright lying, and that 
in the prefence of John his fellow difciple, 
is abominable, and can only be accounted 
for, by the confufion and panic which had 
feized him on this occafion. As Peter's in- 
ward pertubation mutt have appeared in 
his countenance and gefture, he did not 
choofe to ftay long with the fervants at the 
fire: he went out, therefore, into the porch, 
where he was a little concealed : And he 
went out into the porch, and the cock crew, 
namely, for the firtt time. And a maid farm 
him again, and began to fay to them that 
food by. This is one of ihem ; and he again 
denied it with an oath, I know not the man : 
thus aggravating his former crime by that 
of perjury. 

Peter having been thus attacked without 
doors, thouglit proper to return and mix 
with the crowd at the fire : And Simon 
Peter food and warmed himfelf From this 
H 



222 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST, 



circumflance we may conclude, that 
eiifiiing was the tliird denial ; and that 
Teier left the porch where the fecond de- 
nial happened, and was come again into 
the hall : Here one of the fcrva>ds of the 



h prirjl , being his Idnfnmn zvhof: ear 
I'cter CLit^qjf, JaiUi, Did not I f e thee' in 
the garckn zcith him F Peter then denied 
again, and immediately the cock crew. The 
words of MalcIiLis' kinfman bringing to 
remembrance what he had done to 



i eter s 



the maintained : in the fccond place, we may 
learn, that no Tinner who repents, and has 
confidence in the goodnefs of God, Ihould 
ever defpair : for he no looner denied his 
Mafter ihe third time, than the cock crew, 
and awakened in him the firft convi6lion 
of his fm : And the Lord turned, and looked 
upon Peter. And Peter remembered the 
xvord of the Lord, how he had faid unto 
him, Before the cock crozo, thou fialt deny 
me thrice. And Peter went out and wept 
bitterly. St. Luke is the only evangelift 
who has prel'erved this beautiful circum- 
ftance of Christ's turning and looking on 
Peter. The members of the council who 
fat on Jesus, were placed at the upper 
end of the hall ; in the other, were the 



that fervant, threw him into fuch a panic, 
that when thofe who flood by repeated the 
charge, he impudently denied it : He 
even began to curfe and to fwear, fiying, I 
know not ihis man of whom ye fpeak. For, 
when they heard Peter deny the charge, 

they fupported it by an argument drawn Hervants with Peter at the fire : fo that 
Irom the accent with which he pronounc- Jesus being probably placed on fonae emi 
ed his anfwer. 
them, for thou 
fpeech agreeth 



Surely, thou art one of 
art a Galilean, and thy 
thereto ; fo that, being 
prefTed on all fides, to give his lie the bet- 
ter colour, he profaned the name of God, 
by imprecating the bittcreft curfes on him- 
felf, if he was telling a falfehood : perhaps, 
he hoped, by thefe afts of impiety, to con- 
vince them effeftually, that he was not 
Ci-iR ist's difciple. 

This zealous apoftle thws denied his 



nence, that his judges, who were numer- 
ous, might fee and hear him, could eafily 
look over towards Peter, and obferve him 
denying him, and in pafiionate terms, loud 
enough to be heard, perhaps, overall the 
place. The look pierced him, and, with 
the crowing of the cock, brought his Maf- 
ter's prediftion frefh into his mind. He 
was ftung with deep remorfe ; and, being 
unable to contain himfelf, he covered his 
face with his garment to conceal the con- 



Mailer three diftinft times, with oaths and Ifufion he was in, and, going out into the 



afifeverations, totally forgetting the vehe- 
ment proteRations he had made a fe w hours 
before, that he would never deny him. 
He was permitted to fall in this manner, 
to teach us two lelfons : firft, that what- 
ever a perfon*s attainments might have 
been formerly, if once he paifes the bounds 
of innocence, he commonly proceeds from 
bad to worfe, one fin naturally drawing on 
another ; for which reafon the very leall 
appearances of evil are to be avoided, and 



porch, wept very bitterly. All this paffed 
while the prielts examined Jesus with 
many taunts and revilings j and while the 
moil zealous of Christ's difciples was de- 
nying him with oaths and imprecations, 
the others infulted him in the moft inhu- 
man manner. Thus a complication of in- 
juries, iufults, and indignities, was at one 
time heaped upon the bleffed Redeemer; 
the meek and mild Jesus, the fuffering 
and wonderfully patient Son of the adora- 



the greatefl humility and fcif-diffidencc | ble Majelly of heaven. 



AND LIVES OF MIS APOSTLi:S. 



C H A P T E Pv 



XXXV. 



2'hc Trial of Jk sus bjurc ihi Sanhedrim, cr Grand Council of Uie fr.Ci. 



THE band of foldiers having ferzed | truth had thus abundant opportunities oF 
Jesus, led him to the liigh-prieli's | dctetting him propriety: he there- 

houfe, where all the chief priefis, the .fore, in his deieiice, appealed to that part 
Seribes, and the elders were alFembled :! of his character ; \et his arilwer was con- 
And as foe n as it was day, ih: ciders 0/ ilrued difrefpectful : for, when he had thus 
the people^ and the chief priejts, and the fpoken, one of ihe officers which flood by. 
Scribes came together, and kd him into \ Jtruck Je fas with the palm of his hand, fay- 
their council. Probably the trial did wov ing, An jwereth thou tlie high prieflfo ? To 
begin immediately on our Lord's arrival ; [which he meekly replied with the greatelt 
for though many of the judges were at ferenity, If I have fpoken evil, bear witnefs 
the high-priell's before him, {omQ iptxiom, of the evil : but if well, why fniUfl thou, me? 
of diftinftion might be abfent, whofe co- Shew me, prove before this court, where- 
ming the reft were, out of refpe^lj inclined in mv crime confdts, or record it in theev- 
to wait for: but, as the paftbver was at Udence on the face of my trial ; which if 
hand, they had no time to lofe ; fo that ! thou cannot, how canlt thou anfwer this in- 
as foon as the council , was fully met, the j human treatment to a defeiicelefs prifoner, 
trial was begun : And. the high-priefl a/Jied ftanding on his trial before the world, and 
Jefis of his difciples, and qj his dodrine. in open court, and llrike me undefervedly ? 



He enquired of him what his difciples 
were, for what end he had gathered them, 
whether it was to make himfelf a kino^, and 
what the doctrine was which he taught 
them ? In thefe queRions there was a 
great deal of art ; for as the crime laid to 
our Saviour's charge was, that he had fet 
up for the Meiliah, and deluded the peo- 
ple, they expefted he would claim that 
dignity in their prefence, and fo would, 
on his own confeflfion, have condemned 
him, without any further procefs. This 



In this inftance, Jesus 
ample of his own precept 



became an ex- 
and if a man 

finite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him 
the other alfo. Matt. v. 39. bearing the 
greateft injuries with an unprovoked pa- 
tience, worthy of the meek Lamb of God. 

Jesus having declined anfwering the 
quelHons, whereby the council expe6ted to 
have drawn from him an acknowledgement 
of his being the Mel]iah,jhcy proceeded 
to 

havincT 



examine many witneffes to prove his 
ing affumed that charafter ; as they 
was unfair, as it was artful and enfnaring : confidered fuch a pretenfion as blafphemy 
to oblige a prifoner on his trial to conleis in his mouth, who being only a man, ac- 
what might take away his life, was a very! cording to their opinion, could not, with- 
inequitable method of proceeding; and jout the higheft affront to the Divine Ma- 
Jesus exprcffed his opinion thereof with jjefty, pretend to the title of the Son of 
very good reafon, and complained of it, j God, as it belonged only to the Mefhah. 
bidding them prove what they had laid to j But in this examination they afted like 
his charge by witneffes: Jef us anfwered nnxtr^il^d and enraged perfecutors, rather 
him, J fpake openly to the world; / ^z;^??' I than impartial judges, forming their quef- 
taught in the fynagogue, and in the teviple,\x\or\s in the moft artful manner, in order. 



whither the Jews always refort ; and m fecret 
have 1 [did nothing. Why ofketh thou me ? 
Afk them which heard me, what I have faid 
unto them: behold they know what I faid. 
Tt was greatly to the honour of our blefled 
Redeemer, that all his aftions were done 
itr public, under the eye even of his ena 
mies 



ifpofTible, to draw exprcffions from them 
which they might pervert into fufpicions 
of guilt, as fo;ne foundation for condemn- 
ing Jesus, who had fo long and faithfully 
laboured for their falvation. Their wit- 
neffes, however, difappointed them, feme 
of them difaereeinff in their ftory, and 



becaufe, had he been carrying on 1 others mentioning things of no manner of ' 
any impoflurc, the iover§ of goodnefs and } importance. • 



£24 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRISf, 



A< laR, two perfons agreed in their de- j accepting from them the honours and tides 
pofitions, namely, in hearing him fay, that of the MeiTiah. 

he was able to deltroy the temple of God, 1 he blcfled Jesus was not, however, 
and to raife it in three days. But this intimidated by the confequence attending 
tellimony was abfolutely falfe ; for our i his conFelfion of the truth; for, being ad- 
great Redeemer never laid he could de- i jured by the chief magifliate, he imme- 
Ihoy and build the temple of Jerufalem diately confeffed the charge, adding, ye 



in three days, as they affirmed. It is 
true, that after banifliing the traders from 
the temple, when the Jews defired to know 
by what authority he undertook to make 
fuch a reformation, he referred them to 
the miracle of his refurre61ion ; faying, 
Dejlroy this temple (pointing probably to 
his body) and in three days I will raife 
it up. The witnefles, therefore, either 
through malice or ignorance, perverted 
his anfwer into an affirmation, that he was 



ffialj ffiortly fee a convincing evidence of 
this truth, in that wonderful and unparal- 
leled deRruftion which 1 will fend upon 
the Jewiffi nation ; in the quick and power- 
ful progrefs which the gofpel ffiall make 
over the earth ; and, finally, in my glori- 
ous appearance in the clouds of heaven at 
tha laft day, the fign you have fo often 
demanded m confirmation of my being 
fent from God. 

This anfwer of our bleffed Saviour's, 



able to deftroy, and build the magnificent | caufed a number of them to cry out at 
temple of Jerufalem in three days: and I once, as aftoniffied at the fuppofed blaf 



the judges confidering that fuch an aft 
could not be performed by Divine Power, 
interpreted his affertion as blafphemy. 

Our Saviour, during the whole time, 
made no reply to the evidences that were 
produced againfl; him, which greatly pro- 
voked the high-prieft, who, fuppofmg that \ 



pheray, Art thou the Son of God P To 
which our great Redeemer replied. Ye Jay 
that I am : a manner of fpeaking among 
the Jews, which cxpreffed a plain and 
I flrong affirmation. 

I The high prieft, on hearing this fecond 
! affertion, rent his clothes with great indig- 



he intended by his filence to put an affront i^^^^?"' ^^e council Why 

on the council, rofe from his feat, and with i "^^^ ^'""^'^^^ ourfelves to feek tor any 
great pertubation, demanded the reafon ! Ye yourfelves, nay, this 

for foremarkabte a conduft : AtzW^/? J^^?'^ ^^^"^.'j.'y ^^^^ 

thou nothing; ? faid he, what is it which thefe ' ^P°^^" manifeft and notorious blafphemy ; 
Tjoitnefs iiminll thee? And fome of the I ^^^^ V^^^^^^ Fo which they all replied, 

that, lor alluming to himielt the character 
of the Meifiah, he deferved to be put to 



death. 

The fervants and common people then 
began to fall upon him as a man already 
condemned ; fpitting upon him, buffeting 

manner of rude- 



ly againj 

council added. Art thou the Chrijl ? To 
which our bleffed Saviour, anfwered, If I 
fliould tell you plainly, you would not 
believe me ; and if I ffiould demonflrate it 
to you by the moft evident and undeniable 

arguments, ye would neither be convinced, ;^^""^"^»ea ; ipiiting upc 
norreleafe me. ^ him, and offenng him ail 

-nri i nets and indignities ; they blindfolded him. 
At thefe things, the high prieff, find- i^^d fome of the conncil, in order to ridicule 
ing It impoffible to enfnare Jesus, and^him for having pretended to be the great 
being defirous of rendering the trial as prophet, bid him cxercife his prophetical 
fhort as pofTible, faid to him, I adjure thee ^ft^ declaring by whom he was finitten. 
folemnly by the dreadful and tremenaous ^^.j-ely, thofe mifcrcants could hardly in- 
name of God, m whole prefence thou '^m any thing more expreffive of the con- 
flandeff, that thou tell us plainly and truly 'tempt in which they held our great Re- 
whether thou art the Meffiah, the Son of ^^^,^£,'3 pretenlions to the Meffiah. 

This queflion was artfully con- jh^, ^j^^ t t^^^ ^j^^ 

tnved ; for if Jesus ffiould anfwer it m jearth placed at the bar of frail mortals, 
the affirmative, they were ready to con-|fai{e] accufed by the witnelfes, unjuflly 
demn him as a blafphemer ; if in the ne- L-ondemned by his judges, and barbaroufly 
gative, they intended to puniffi him as an infulted by all. Yet, becaufe it was agree- 
impollor, who had deceived the people by the end of his coming, he paUentlj 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



22.. 



fubmitted, tliough he could with a frown 
have made his judges, his accufers, and 



thofe who had him in cuflody, to expire 
in a moment, or utterly dwindle away. 



CHAPTER XXXYL 

Jesus is led before Pilate : Judas relents, carries back the Money, arid hangs hiinfdf : 
The Governor rcfufes to judge our blejjed Saviour, declares htm innocent, and fends 
him to Herod ; who, after hearing his Accufers, fends him back again. 



THE Saviour of the worM, whom the 
whole Jewiih nation had fo long ex- 
pefted, having been thus condemned by 
the Sanhedrim, they confultcd together, 
and refolvcd to carry him before the gov- 
ernor, that he likewife might pafs len- 
tence on him. The Roman governors of 
Judea generally refided at Caifarea ; but 
at the great feafts they came up to Jeru- 
falem, to prevent or fupprefs tumults, and 
to adminifter juftice : it being a cullom for 
the Roman governors of provinces to vifit 
the principal towns under their jurifdiftion 
on this latter account. Pilate being ac- 
cordingly come to Jerufalem fomc time 
before the feaft, had been informed, pro- 
bably by Jofeph of Arimathea, of the 
great ferment amongft the rulers, and the 
true character of the perfon on whofe ac- 
count it was raifed ; for he entertained a 
juft notion of it : he knezv that for envy 
they had delivered him. He knew the 
caufe of their envy, was imprelfed with a 
favourable opinion of Jesus, and wilhed, 
if poffible, to deliver him from his vile per-| 
fecutors who fought to put him to death. 

The Jewifli council, early in the morn- 
ing, brought Jesus to the hall of judg- 
ment, or governor's palace. They them- 
felves, however, went not into the hall, but 
flood without, left they fnouldbe rendered 
incapable of eating the paffover, by being 
defiled. 

Judas Ifcariot, who had delivered his 
Mafter into the hands of the council, 
finding his projeft turned out very differ- 
ent from what he expe6led, was filled with 
the deepeft remorfe for what he had done. 
He faw ail his golden dreams of temporal 

3 



honours and advantages funk at once to 
nothing ; he faw his kind, his indulgent 
Mafter condemned, and forfaken by all 
his followers. He faw all this, and deter- 
mined to make all the fatisfa61ion in his 
power for the crime he had committed : 
accordingly, he came and confefied openly 
his fin before the chief priefts and elders, 
offered them the money they had given 
him to commit it, and earneftly wifhed he 
could recall the fatal tranfaftion of the 
preceding night. It feems he thought this 
was the moll public teftimony he could 
poftibly give of his Mailer's innocence, 
and his own repentance : I have, laid he, 
committed a moft horrid crime, in be- 
traying an innocent man to death. But 
this moving fpeech of Judas had no efifeft 
on the callous hearts of the Jewifh rulers : 
they afErmed, that however he might 
think the prifoner innocent, and for that 
reafon had finned in bringing the fentence 
of death upon his head, they were not 
to blame ; becaufe they knev/ him a blaf- 
phemer, who deferved to die : What is iJmt 
to us ? faid they, fee thoit to that. Nay, 
they even refufed to take back the money 
they had given him as a reward for per- 
forming the bafe a6t of betraying his Maf- 
ter, who had deferved from him the bell 
of treatment. 

Convinced now, that it was not in his 
power to affifl his Saviour, Judas's con- 
fcience, being ftung with remorfe, laflied 
him more furiourly than before, fuggefting 
thoughts, which by turns, made the deepeit 
wounds in his foul. The innocence and 
benevolence of his Mafter, the many fa. 
vours he himlelf had received from him, 
I 



22.-S 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST, 



and the many kind offices he had done for 
the fons and dauiditers oF affliction, crowd- 
ed at once into liis mind, and rendered his 
torment intolerable. He was, if v/e may 
be allowed the comparifon. like one placed 
on ihe brink of the infernal lake. Racked 
with thefe agonizing padions, and unable 
to fupport the mifery, he threw down the 
Vv'ages of his iniquity in the temple, and 
confeffing at the lame time his own fin, 
and the innocence of \m MaPct-.r, went 
away in defpair and hanged himfelf. Thus 
periiiiqd Judas Ifcariot the traitor, a mifcr- 
able example ot the fatal influence of co~ 
vetoufncfs, and a ftanding monument of 
divine vengeance, to deter future genera- 
tions from ailing in oppohtion to the dic- 
tates of confcience, through a love of 
the things of this world ; ior which, this 
wretched mortal betrayed his Mafter, his 
Friend, his Saviour, and accumulated fuch 
a load of guih on himfelf as funk his foul 
into theloweflpit of anguifh and defpon- 
dency. 

The people gathered up the pieces of 
River call down by Judas, and delivered 
them to the prietts, who, thinking it un- 
lawful to put them into the treafury, be- 
caufe they were the wages of a traitor, 
agreed lo lay them out in purchafmg the 
potter's and to make it a common 

burial-place for ftrangers. This the evan- 
gelift tells us was done, that a particular 
prophscy relating to the Meffiah might be 
lulfilled i And they took the thirty pieces 
of JihiT, the price of him that zoas valued, 
■whom tJuy of the children of Ifraeldid value , 
and gave thm for the potter's field, us 
the Lord appointed r/ie. This prophecy 
is found in Zechariah, but by a miflake 
of fome copyift, the word Jeremy is in- 
ferted in the Greek manulcripts of St. 
Matthew's gofpel ; unlefs we fuppofe with 
the learned Grotius, that this remarkable 
prophecy was hrft made by Jeremiah, and 
afterwards repeated by the immediate di- 
rection of the Spirit, by Zechariah ; and 
that, therefore, the evangelift has only 
afcribed the prophecy to its original au- 
thor i but hov/ever this be, the prophecy 
is remarkable, and was remarkably fulfill- 
ed ; and the evangelift puts the truth of 
this part of the hiftory beyond all manner 
of exception, by thus appealing to a pub- 
lic tranfatlion. 



We have before, remarked, that the chief 
prielts and elders refufed to go themfelve; 
into the judgment-hail, left they fhould 
contraft Ibme pollutions intbehoufe of 
an Heathen, which would have rendered 
them unfit for eating the paftbver. The 
fame recfon alfo hindered them from en- 
tering the governors palace on other fefli- 
vals, when that magiftrate attended in 
order to adminifter juitice : a kind of ftruc- 
ture was therefore erefted,. adjoining to 
the palace, which ferved inftead of a tri- 
bunal or judgment feat. This- ftrutlure, 
called in the Hebrew Gabbatha, was finely 
paved with fmall pieces of marble of differ- 
ent colours, being always expofed to the 
weather. Perhaps, it refembled a ftage, 
but larger, open on all fides, and on one 
part of It a throne was placed, whereon the 
governor fat to hear caufes. One fide of 
this ftru6lure joined to the palace, and a 
door was made in the wall, through which' 
the governor pafled to this tribunal. By 
this contrivance, the people might ftand 
round the tribunal in the open air, hear 
and fee the governor, when he fpake to 
them from the pavement, and obferve the 
whole adminiftration of juftice, without 
danger ©f being defiled either by him or 
any of his attendants. 

The great Redeemer of mankind^ was 
brought before this tribunal ; and the priefts 
and elders having taken their places round' 
the pavement, the governor afcended the 
judgment feat, and afl^ed them whataccu^ 
fation they brought againft the prifoner ? 
Though nothing could be more natural 
than for the governor to aflc this queftion, 
yet the Jews thought themfelves highl) af- 
fronted by it. They probably knew his 
fentiments concerning the prifoner, and 
therefore confidered his queftion as intend- 
ed to infinuate, that they brought one to 
be condemned, againft whom they could 
find no accufation. Pilate might indeed 
fpeak to them in a ftern manner, and by 
that means fufficiently indicate his dilplea- 
fure : but, however that be, the Jews 
haughtily anfwered, if he had not been a 
very great and extraordinary malefaftor, 
we fhould not have given thee this trouble' 
at all, much lefs atfo unfeafonable an hour 
as the prefent. 

Jesus was then examined by Pilate, who 
finding he had not been guilty eji '. ; of 



AND LIVES OF HIS AP0S7 LES. 



227 



rebellion or fcdltion, but tliat hewasac-; 
cufed of particulars relating to the religion | 
and cuftoms of the Jews, grew angry, and ] 
faid, What are thele things to me ? Take 
him yourfelves, and judge him according 
to your own law; plainly infinuating, that 
in his opinion, the crime they laid to the 
prifoner's charge, was not of a capital na- 
ture ; and that fuch punifiiraents as they 
were permitted by Ca^far to inHift, were 
adequate to any mifdemeanor that Jesus 
was charged with. But this propofal of 
the Roman governor was ablolutely re- 
fufed by the Jev/tfh priefts and elders, be- 
caufe it condemned their whole proceed- 
ing, and therefore they anfwered, We have 
no power to put any one to death, as this 
man certainly deferves, who has attempted 
not only to make innovations in our reli- 
gion, but alfo fet up himfelf for a king. 
This eagernefs of the Jews to get Jesus 
condemned by the Roman governor, who 
often fentenced malefaSlors to be crucified, 
tended to fulfil the fayings of our great 
Redeemer, who, during the courle of 
his miniftry, had often mentioned what 
kind of death he was appointed to die 
by the predetermination of the Omnifcient 
God. 

As Pilate now found it impoffible to pre- 
-vent a tumult, unlefs he: proceeded to try 
Jesus, he therefore afcended again the ^ 
judgment feat, and commanded his accufers | 
to produce their charges againft him. Ac- 
cordingly, they accufed him of feditious i 
praftifes, affirming that he had ufed every I 
method in his power to dilTuade the people [ 
from paying taxes to Casfar, pretending i 
that he himfelf was the Meffiah, the great! 
king of the Jews fo long expefted. : but * 
they brought no proof of this aflTertion. 
They only infmuated, that they had alrea- 
dy convifted him of his crime ; which was 
abfolutely falfe. Pilate, however, afked , 
him. Is it true, what thefe men lay to thy j 
charge, that thou haft indeed attempted 
to fet up thyfelf as King of the Jews ? 
To v^'hich Jesus replied, haft thou ever, 
during thy flay ia this province, heard 
any thing of me, that gave thee any reafon ! 
to fulpetl me guilty of fecret pratiices | 
and feditious defigns againft the govern- \ 
ment ? Or doft thou found thy queftions I 
only on the prefent clamour and tumult ! 
that is railed againft me ? If this be the | 



cafe, be very careful left thou be impofcd 
on merely by the ambiguity of a word : 
for, to be Kmgof the Jews, is not to erect 
a temporal throne in oppohtion to that of 
Caefar, but fomething very difterent from 
it ; the kingdom of the Meftiah is of a 
fpiritual nature. 

Pilate replied, Am I a Jew ? Can I tell 
Vv^hat their expetlations are, and in what 
fupcrftitious fenfe they undcrftand thefe 
words P I'he rulers and chiefs of thine own 
people, who are the m.oft proper judges of 
thele particulars, have brought thee before 
me, as a riotous and feditious perfon : if 
this be not the truth, let me know what is, 
and the crime thou haft been guilty of, and 
what they lay to thy charge. 

To which Jesus anfwered, I have indeed 
a kingdom, and this kingdom I have pro- 
fefted to eftabliQi ; but then it is not of this 
world, nor have my endeavours to eftablifh 
it any tendency to caufe difturbances in 
the government: for, had that been the 
cafe, my fervants would have fought for 
me, and not fuft'ered me to have fallen 
into the hands of the Jews : but I tell thee 
plainly, my kingdom is wholly fpiritual, 
confifting only in the obdedience of the 
wills and afteftions of men to the laws' 
of God. 

Pilate faid. Thou acknowledgeft then 
in general, that thou haft pretended to be 
a King ? To which the blefled Jesus re- 
plied. In the fenfe I have told thee I have 
declared, and do now declare myfelf to be 
a King : for this very end I was born, and 
for this purpofe I cam»e into the world, that 
I fhould bear witnefs to the truth ; and 
whofoever fincerely loves, and is always 
ready to embrace the truth, will hear my 
teftimony and be convinced by it. Pilate 
faid. What is truth ? and immediately 
went oat to the Jews, and faid unto them,. 
I have again examined this man, but can 
find him guilty of no fault, which, ac- 
cording to the Roman law, deferves to 
have the punilhrnent of death inflifted for 
it. 

Though the governor made this gen- 
erous declaration of the innocence of our 
blefted Saviour, it had no effect on the 
fupcrftitious anel bigotted Jews : they 
even perfifted in their accufations with- 
more vehemence than before, aftirming'. 
that he had attempted to raife a fcdidou^ 



228 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST, 



in Galilee : Hcj>-T.cd up, faid they, the 
people, beginning J/ oil/, GaLilece to this place. 
Jesus, however, made no anfwer to this 
heavy charge : nay, he continued filent, 
notwithftanding the governor himfelf ex- 
prefsly required him to fpeak in his own 
defence. A condu6l fo extraordinary, in 
fuch circum fiances, aftonifhed Pilate ex- 
ceedingly ; for he had great reafon to be 
perfuaded ot the innocence of our dear 
Redeemer. The truth is, he was alto, 
gether ignorant of the divine council, by 
■which the whole affair was directed, and 
the end propofed by it. 

Many reafons induced the blefled Jesus 
not to make a public defence. He came 
into the world purely to redeem loft and 
undone mankind, by offering up himfelf a 
facrifice to appeafe the wrath of his Al- 
mighty Father ; but had he pleaded with 
his ufual force, the people had in all pro- 
bability been induced to afk his releafe, 
and confequently his death had been pre- 
vented *. behdes, the grofs falfehood of the 
accufation, known to all the inhabitants of 
Galilee, rendered any reply abfolutely un- 
necefTary. 

The chief priefts continued, in the mean 
time, to accule him v;ith great noife and 
tumult; and the meek and humble Jesus 
ftill continuing mute, Pilate fpake again to 
him, faying, Wilt thou continue to make 
no defence ? Doft thou not hear how vehe- 
mently thefe men accufe thee ? But Pilate, 
recollefting v/hat the chief priefts had faid 
with regard to a fedition in Galilee, afked 
if Jesus came out of that country ; and 
on being informed he did, he immediately 
ordered him to be carried to Herod, who 
then refided at Jerufalem ; for the govern- 
or fuppofed that Herod, in whofe domin- 
ions the ledition was faid to have been raif- 
ed, muft be a much better judge of the 
affair than himfelf : behdes, his being a 
Jew, rendered him more expert in the re- 
ligion of his own country, and gave him 
greater influence over the chief priefts and 
elders ; he therefore confidered him as the 
moft proper perfon to prevail on the Jev/- 
ifh council to dehft from their cruel perfe- 
cution : but if, contrary to all hnman pro- 
bability^ he ihould, at their felicitation, 



condemn Jesus, Pilate hoped to cfcape 
the guilt and infamy of putting an inno- 
cent perfon to death. He might alfo pro- 
pofe, by this adion, to regain Herod's 
iriendlhip, which he had formerly loft by 
encroaching, in all probability, on the pri- 
vileges he was inveiled with. 

Whatever might be the motive that in- 
duced Piiate to lend our great Redeemer 
to Herod, the latter greatly rejoiced nt this 
opportunity of feeing Jesus, hoping to 
have the pleafure of beholding him per- 
form fome great miracle. In this he was 
however miftaken ; for as Herod had 
apoftatized from the doftrine of John the 
Baptift, to which he was once a convert, 
and had even put his teacher to death, the 
bleffed Jesus, however liberal of his mir- 
acles to the fons and daughters of affliftion, 
would not work them to gratify the curi- 
ofity ol a tyrant, nor even anfwer one of 
the many queftions he propofed. 

Finding himfelf thus dilappointed, He- 
rod ordered our blefled Saviour to be cloth- 
ed with an old robe, refembling in colour 
thofe worn by kings, and permitted his at- 
tendants to infult him ; perhaps to pro- 
voke him to work fome miracle, though it 
fliould prove of a hurtful kind. From 
Herod's drelhng him in this manner, it 
evidently appears, that the chief priefts 
and elders had accufed him of nothing, 
but his having afllimed the eharafter of the 
Mefliah ; for the affront put upon him was 
plainly in derifion of that pretenfion. 

The other head of accufation, namely, 
his having attempted to raife a fedition in 
Galilee, on account of the tribute paid to 
Caefar, they did not dare to mention, as 
Herod could not fail ol knowing it to be 
a grofs and malicious falfehood ; and no 
crime worthy of death being laid to his 
charge, Herod fent him again to Pilate, 
it feems, that though he was difpleafed with 
the great Redeemer of mankind for refu- 
fing to w^ork a miracle beiore him, yet he 
did not think proper to be uirjuft to him. 
Perhaps he was reftrained by the remorfe 
he felt on account of the death of John the 
Baptift, and therefore declined bringing a 
greater weight upon his confcience. 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 22p 
CHAPTER XXXVIL 

Pilate g-ives the Jews their Choice of Jesus or Barahhas to he rekafed : Upon the Clanwur 
of the common People, Barabbai is loofed, and Jesus delivered up to be crucified: 
Hi IS crowned with Thorns, fpit on, and mocked. 



THE Roman governors at tlie pafTover, 
made it a cudom to court ihc iavour 
of the populace, by gratifying ihcm with 
the relcafe of any one prifoncr they^ pleared. 
And at this fcall there was one in pnlon 
named Barabbas, who, at the head of a 
number of rebels, had made an infurrec- 
tion in the city, and committed murder 
during the tumult. 

There being now again a great multi- 
tude of people affembled before tiie gov- 
ernor's palace, they began to Cc':l! uloud 
on hirn to perlorm the annual cffice of 
mercy cullomary at the fefiival they v/tre 
now celebrating. Pilate, glad ot this op- 
portunity, told them, that he was willing 
to grant the favour they dehred ; and afk- 
ed them whether they would have Barab- 
bas or Jesus releafed unto them ? But 
without waiting for an anfv/er lie oifered 
to releafe Jesus, knowing that the chief 
priefts had delivered him through envy ; 
efpecially as Herod had not found him 
guilty of the crimes he had been accu- 
fbd of. 

During thefe tranfaflions, Pilate received 
a melfage from his wife, then with him at 
Jerufalem, and who had that morning been 
informed of fomething in a dream which 
gave her great uneaiinefs. Perhaps it pre- 
iaged the vengeance of the Almighty pur- 
fuing her hufband and family on account 
of the injuilice he was going to commit. 
But whatever the dream was, it had fo 
great an afiPeft on this Roman lady, that 
ihe could not reft till file had fent an ac- 
count of it to her hufband, who was then 
fitting on the tribunal in the pavement, 
and begged him to have no hand in the 
death of the righteous perfon who was then 
brought to his bar. 

As the people had not yet determined 
whether they would have Jesus or Barabbas 
releafed to them ; Pilare therefore, when 
he received the melfcige from his wife, call- 
ed the chief priells and rulers together, 
and, in the hearing of the multitude, made 

3 



a fpeech to them, in which he gave thera 
an account of the examination which Jesus 
had undergone both at his own and HcrodV; 
tribunal, declaring that in both courts it 
had turned out honourably to his charac- 
ter ; for which reafon he propofcd to them, 
that he fhou'd be the object of the people's 
favour, and be acquitted. 

The intent of Pilate, in doing the priefts 
I the honour to confult their inclinations in 
; particular, might, in all probability, be 
1 with a defign to foften their ftony hearts, 
and, if poUible, to move them for once to 
pky an unhappy, an innocent man. But 
, l e wr-s perfuaded that if pity was abfo- 
\ lutely baniftied from their callous breafts, 
\ his propofal would have been acceptable 
, to tiie people, whom he expe61ed v/ould 
'embrace the firft opportunity of declaring 
} in his favour. Yet in this he was difap- 
; pointed. They cried out all at once. 
Away with this man, and relenfe unto us 
Barabbas. 

Ye apoflate mortals, a few hours ago 
ye liftened with rapture to his heavenly 
' difcourfes, beheld with tranfport the many 
^ falutary miracles wrought by this benevc- 
jlentfon of the Moft High, and earneftly 
' importuned him to take poffeftion of the 
i throne and fceptre of David ! Nov/ no- 
i thing will fatiate your infernal malice but 
\ his precious blood ! But remember ye mif- 
creants, ye monfters in the human form, 
that this fame Jesus, whom ye beheld 
with fuch contempt before the tribunal of 
the Roman governor ; this Jesus, whofe 
blood your infernal mouths fo loudly re- 
quefted, ihall one day come in the clouds 
of heaven^ to take vengeance on his ene- 
mies ! And how will ye be able to bear 
the fight of his appearance, when the very 
heavens themfelves will melt at his pre- 
fence, " the fun become black as fackcloth 
of hair," the moon be turned into blood, 
and the ftars fly from their fphercs ? How 
will ye then repent of yourunjuft demand; 
and call to the mountains and rocks to fall 
K 




230 LIFE OF JESUS CHRISr, 

on yoii^ and hide you from the prefence ' that all the water in th.e u?]iverfe was not 
<d that iannaculate Lamb of God, the fufhcient to wafii av/ay the guih of aa 
treinenduous judge of the quick and dead ! j unrighteous fentence. 'But notwithftand- 
^ _'i he governor hiniftlf was adoniOied at.ingthe folemnity of this declaration, the 
trds determiiaation of the multitude, and Jews continued inflexible, and cried ' out, 
repeated his quellion, for he could hardly : v^ith one voice, His blood be on us and on 
bcdicve what he had himftdf heard. fi\xt\our children. Dreadful imprecation! It 
on their again declaring that they defired | fhocks humanity ! An imprecation which 
Barabbas miglit be relealcd, he afked them, \ brought on them the dreadful vengeance of 
Wliat hsJJiouiddo xdt!ij(f.is, tvhich is called ^ Omnipotence, and is flill a heavy burthen 
Chriji? as if he had faid, you demand that; on that perfidious people, who are difper- 
Earabbas fhould be releafed ; but what Ted all over the earth 

Ih.ali I then do with Jesus ? you cannot] Pilate, finding it impoflible to alter their 
lurely defire me to crucify him, whom fo' choice, releafed unto them Barabbas. And 
maR'( 

M< 
hiu 

ih^in, It/7v, xvhiit evil h 2 ill he done ? the blefTed Ji^sus to be fcourged before 

they cried out the more exceednigly, Ctil- he delivered him to the foldiers to be put 
ci/y him- They vvere fo refohuely deter- to death. The foldiers having according- 
mined to have him deftroyed, that not- ': iy fcourged Jesus, and received orders 
withflanding Pilate urged thrm again and to crucify him, carried him into the Prae- 
again to dehre his releafe, declared his in- ; torium, or coramon-hpJi, were they added, 
iiocence, anl offered feveral times to dif- the ihame of difgrace to the bitternefs of 
mifs him, they would not hear it^ uttering his punifhment ; lor fore as he was by rea- 
their rage, fometimes in hollov/, diltafst, fon of tlie firipts they had given him, they 
inarticulate murmurs, and fometimes in i dreffed him in a purple robe, in derifion of 
furious outcries : to fuch a pitch were their ; his being the King of the Jews. Having 
pafTions raifed by the craf t and artful in- 1 drefTed him in this robe of mock-majefryj 
llnuations of the priefts, and their own; they put a reed in his hand, mPtead of a 
ihirfl for his blood. jfceptre, and after plaiting a v/reath of 

Finding it therefore in vain to ffruggle : thorns, they put it on his head for a crown ; 
with their prejudices, Pilate called for ! forcing it down in fo rude a manner, that 
water, and waOied his hands before the! his temples were torn, and his face be* 
multitude, crying out at the fame time, ■ fmeared with his mofi precious blood. To 
that the prifoner had no fault, and that he ' the Son of God in this condition, the rude 
himfelf was not acceflbry to his death. | foldiers bovv^ed the knee, pretending to do 

Pilate, by this a61 and declaration, feeras : it out of refpe6l ; but, at the fame time 
to have intended to make imprefiion on J gave him fevere blows on the head, which 
the Jewifli populace, by complying with drove the prickles of the wreath afrefh 
the inflitutions cf Moies, which orders, Unto his temples, then fpit on him, to ex- 
in cafe of an unknov;n murder, the elders | prefs their highell contempt and difdain. 
of the neareft city to v/a(h their hands | The office of governor, obliging Pilate 
publicly, and fay. Our hands have not Jlicd \o be prefent at this fhocking fcene of in- 
i}ds blood. And in alluhon to this law, the ! humanity, he was ready to burfi with grief. 
Pfai mill fays, / will wafa mine hands in The fight of an innocent and virtuous man 
zimocency. According therefore to tlie treated with fuch ftiocking barbarity, raifed 
|ev;iih rites, Pilaie made the mofl folemn in his breafi the moCt painful fenfations of 
and public declaration of the innocence of; pity : and though he had given fentence 
our dear Redeemer, and of his refolution that it fhould be as the Jews defired, and 
of having no hand in his death. Perhaps had delivered our dear Redeemer to the 
he flattered iumfelf that by this folemn ap- foldiers to be crucified, he was perfuaded, 
peal, he fhould have terrified the Jewiih that if he fhewed him to the people in that- 
populace; for a. perfon of his underiland- condition, th-ey muff relent, and petition 
jiig and education could not but be fenfible, ! him to let him go. Filled with this thought, 



AND LlVi:S OF HIS APOSTLES. 



231 



he rcToIved to carry Iiim out and exhibit 1 becaufe he would not ruder his people to 
to their view a {pe^iacle capable of i'ofi- 1 murder a man who was guiliy of no crime, 
ening ihe mod envenomed, cbdurate, en- But this thty alfo rt'uftd, iliinking it dif- 
raged eneiny. And, in order to render * honourable to receive permillion to puiilh 
tiie imprefhon flill more poignant, he went | a perfon "who liad-been more ihaji once 
cut hirafeif, and faid unio them, '1 hough } publicly declared innocent by his judge : 
I have fentenced this man to die, and have j belides they confidered wit'.i lliemfelvcs, 
fcourged him as one th^t is to be crucilird ; {that the governor might afterwards have 



yeti once more bring hnn before ) Ou, that 
1 may again teftify how fully I am per- 
fuaded of his innocence, and that ye may 
yet have an opportunity of faving his life, 
and clearing the guiltlel's. 

No fooner had the governor finifhed his 
fpeech, than Jiisys appeared on the pave- 
ment with his hair, his face, his fhoulders 
all clotted wi- h blood, and the purple robe 
bedaubed with fpittle. And that the fight 
of Jesus in this dillrefs miglu make the 
greater imprelFion on the p?:ople, Pilate, 
while he was coming: forw-ard, cried out. 
Behold the man ! As ir he had faid, will 
nothing make you relent P Have ye loH: ai- 
the feehngs of humanity and bowels ofcom- 
paOTion ? Can you bear to fee ihe innocent, 
a fon of Abraham, thus injured ? Perhaps 
alfo the foldiers M'ere futfered to buffet 
Jesus again on the pavement before the 
multitude, in order to excite their pity, 
or at leaft their pride : for though they 
might not pity Jesus as a perfon unjuifly 
eondenmed ; yet when they faw one of 
their countrymen infulted by Heathens, it 
was natural fjr the governor to fuppofe, 
that their national pride being provoked, 
it \\'ould have induced them to have de- 



called it fedition, as the permillion had 
been extorted from Inm. Accordingly 
they told him, that even though none of 
the things alleged againfl the priioner were 
true, he had committed fuch a crime in the 
prefence of the council itfelf, as by their 
lav/ deferved the moff ignominious death. 
He had fpoken blafpheiny, calling himfelf 
the Son of God, a title v;hich no mortal 
could afTume without the higheft de2;recof 
guilt : \¥e have a law, and by our Inzu /z^ 
oug'it to die, becavje he made hirnfelf the 
Son of God, a divine pcj fon, 

Pilate's fear was increafcd, v,'hen he lieard 
that Jesus called himlelf the Son of God ; 
but knowing the obftinacy of the Jews in all 
matters of religion, he was afraid tliey 
would make a tumult in earneft ; or, per- 
haps he was himfelf more afraid than ever 
to rake away his life, becaul'e he fufpected 
it might be true. He doubtlefs remem- 
bered the miracles faid to have been perfor- 
med by Jesus, and therefore fufpefted 
that he really was th? Son of God : for it 
is w^ell known that the religion which 
the governor profeiTed, directed him to 
acknowledge the exigence of demigods and 
heroes, or men defcended from the (rods ; 



ppeaied upon 
md converfcd 



manded his enlaigement : but all this w^as j nay, the Heatliens believed, that tl 
to no purpofe. 'i he priefis, whofe rage 
and malice had extinguifhed not only the 
fentiments of juflice and feeUngs of pi.v 
natural to the human heart, but alfo that 
love which countrymen bear for each other, 
no fooner faw Jesus than they began 



Lneir 



gods them felves fomeiimes ^^-^'^-^•'^'^ 
earth in the form of men 
with them. 

Tnefe kind of rcflcflions induced Pilate 
to go again into the iudo^ment-halL and afk 



. ^ « Jesus from what father he fprung, and 
to fear the fickle populace might relent; trom what counrty he came? But our 
and therefore, hymg decency afide, they | bleffsd Saviour gave him no anfwer, lefl 



led the way to the multitude, crying out th 



governor fhould reverfe his fentence, 

Pi- 
and 

Q to 



gnorant 



with all their might, Crucify him ! cruci.fy | and abfolutely refufe to crucify him 
him ! Reieafe not this man, but ijarabbas'l | late marvelled greatly at t-iis filencc. 
The governor, vexed to fee the Jewil'hlfaid unto Jesus, Why doll thou refu 
rulers thus obitinately bent on the deilruc- anfwer m.e ? Tliou canR not be i-mc 
Hon of a perfon from whom they had that I am invellcd As'hh abfolute ^power, 
nothing to tear that was dangerous, 'either i either to reieafe or crucii v tice. To hich 
with regard to their church or flate. pa(-| Jesus anfwered, I well know that thou art 
fiona-.ely told them, that if th?y would IjavejCierar's fervant, and accountible to hnn 
him crucified, they muft do it themfelves for thy management. I forgive thee anjj 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST, 



injury, which, contrary to thy inclination, 
the popular fury coiiilrains thee to do unto 
me. Thou haft thy power from above, 
from the emperor : for which cau!e, the 
Jewifli high-prieft, who hath put me into 
thy hands, and by pretending that I am 
Cicfar's enemy, forces thee to condemn 
me ; or if thou refufeft, will accufe thee 
as negligent of the emperor's interett ; he 
is more cruihy than thes : He that delivered 
me unto thee hath the greater fvii^ btuig injii- 
gated thereto by malice. 

Hearing tliis fweet and modeft anfwer, 
fuch an impreffion was thereby made on 
Pilate, that he went out to the people, 
and declared his intention of releafing 
Jesus, whether they gave their confent or 
not. Upon which the chief priefts and 
rulers of Ifrael cried out, If thou let this 
man go, thou art not Ccefafs friend : zoho- 
Jbever maketa himjelf a king, fpeaketh agamjt 
Ccefar. If thou releafeft the priibner, who 
hath fet himfelf up for a king, and endea- 
voured to raife a rebellion in the country, 
thou art unfaithful to the intereft of the 
emperor thy mailer. This argument was 
weighty, and (hook Pilate's relblution to 
the very bafis : he was terrified at the 
thought of being accufed to Tiberius, 
who in all affairs of government always 
fufpefted the worft, and punifhed the moft 
minute crimes, relative thereto, with death. 
The governor being thus conftrained to 
yield, contrary to his inclination, was very 
angry with the priefts for ftirring up the 
people to fuch a pitch of madnefs, and 
determined to affront them. He therefore 
brought Jesus out a fecond time into the 
pavement, wearing the purple robe and 
the crown of thorns ; and pointing to him, 
faid, " Behold your ridiculing the 

national expectation of a Meffiah, as their 
deliverer. 

Stung to the quick, by this farcaflical 
cxpreffion, they cried out. Away with him, 
away with him, crucify him. To which 
Pilate anfwered, with the fame miocking 
iiir, Shall J criicify your king? The chief 



priefls anfxuered, IVe have no Jiing but Ccefar. 
Thus did thqy publicly renounce their 
hope of the Mt-ihah, which the whole 
ceconomy of their religion had been cal- 
culated to cherHh : ihey alfo publicly 
acknowledged their fubje£iion to the 
Romans ; and conlcquently, condemned 
themfelves, when they afterwards rebelled 
againfl the emperor Vefpafian, who, with 
his fon Titus, deflroyed their city and 
temple. 

We raay here obferve, that the great 
unwiliingnefs of the governor to pafs fen- 
tence of death upon Jesus, has fomething 
in it very remarkable. For from the char- 
a61er of Pilate as drawn by the Roman 
hiitorians themfelves, he feems to have 
been far from poffeffing any true principle 
of virtue. To what then could it be 
owing, that fo wicked a man ftiould fo 
lieadily adhere to the caufe of innocence, 
which he defended with uncommon bra- 
very, and perhaps would never have aban- 
doned it, had he not been forced by the 
threatenings of the chief priefls and rulers 
of Ifrael ? And when he did yield, and 
pnffed fentence upon our dear Redeemer, 
why did he ftill declare him innocent ? 
This can certainly be attributed to no 
other caufe than to the fecret and power- 
ful diredion of the providence of the Al- 
mighty, who intended that at the fame 
time his fon was condemned and executed 
as a malefa6lor, his innocence fhould be 
made to appear in the rooft public manner, 
and by the moft authentic evidence ; even 
that of the judge himfelf. It was the 
power of the Almighty that fet bounds to 
the inveterate malice and fury of the Jews, 
that v/ould not fuff'er them to flain the in- 
nocence of the blefled Jesus, at the fame 
time they deprived him of his life ; but 
faid to their boiflerous malice, as he had 
before faid to the foaming billows of the 
ocean, Hitherto fhalt thou come, but no far- 
ther, and here fhall the proud waves be fioy- 
ed : for none can flay his hand, or control 
his will. 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. ^33 
CHAPTER XXXVIIL 



Jesus is led forth to Calvary : Simon, the Cyrenian, compelled to carry the Cfofs : Ik i. 
crucified beticeen tivo Malefadors : A Title is put upon th". Crofs by rilaie, and Lots 
cafifor his Garment : The Mu/tilude, the Rulers, the Friejts, and the Soldiers r:viU 
J £8 us; The Couverfion of one oj the Thieves : The great and unnatural Eclipfe oj 
the Sun: Jesu^ /peaks to his Friends from the Crofs, cries, " It is ftnfhed," recom- 
mends his Shirii into the Hands of his Heavenly Father, and expires. 



MY Ibul ! come nnd follow thy Re- 
deemer to the laft fcene oF the mofi 
innocent and iderul ccurfe that was ever 
pafied on earth ; follow him to Calvary's 
horrid eminence, to Calvary's fatal cata- 
ftrophe ; there hx thy moft conftant at- 
tention on that lovely, that forrov^ful fpec- 
tacle. Behold the fpotlefs viciim nailed to 
a tree, and tabbed to the heart; hear him 
pouring out prayers for his murderers, be- 
fore he poured out his foul for tranfgreff- 
ors ; fee the wounds that ftream with for- 
givenefs, and bleed balm for a diftempered 
world. O! fee the juflice and goodncfs 
of the Almighty, his mercy and his ven- 
gear^ce all his tremendous and gracious 
attributes mariifeiled ; raanifeftcd with in- 
expreffible fplendour, in the moft igno- 
minious, and yet grandeft of tranfaftions 
that ever the world beheld I 

After fentence was pronounced againfl: 
the bleffed Jesu s, the foldiers were ordered 
to prepare for his execution ; a command 
v/hich they readily obeyed ; and after 
clothing him in his own garments, led 
him away to crucify him. It is not faid 
that they took the crown of thorns from 
his temples ; probably he died wearing it, 
that the title placed over his head might 
be the better underllood by the fpe6lators. 

The .minifters of Jewifii malice, we may 
fuppofe remitted none of the circuraftances 
of affliftion which were ever laid on per- 
fons condemned to be crucified. Accord- 
ingly, Jesus was obliged to walk on foot 
to the place of execution, bearing his 
crofs : but the fatigue of the preceding 
night fpent without lleep, rhe fufferings he 
had undergone in the gardert ; his having 
been hurried from place to place, and 
obliged to hand the whole time of his tri- 
als ; the want of food, and the lofs of 
blood he had fuPiained, and not his v.nnt 
of courage on this occafion, made him 



faint under the burden of his crof;. Tiic 
foldiers feeing him unable to bear the 
weight, laid it on one Simon, a native of 
Cyrene, in Egypt, the Father of Alexan- 
der and Rufus, well known among the 
firil Chriftians, and forced him to bear in 
after the great Redeemer of mankind. 
The foldiers did not this, however, out of 
compaffion to the fuftering Jesus, but to 
prevent his dying with the fatigue, and by 
that means Eivoiding the puniihment de- 
figned for him. 

In this journey to Calvary our bleffed 
Saviour was followed by an innumerable 
multitude of people, particularly of v/o- 
men, who lamented bitterly tlie feverity 
of his fentence, and (hewed all the tokens 
of lincere compaffion and grief. Jesus, 
who always felt the woes of others more 
than he did his own, forgetting his diltrefs 
at the very time when it lay heavieft upon 
him, turned himfelf about, and, with a 
benevolence and tendernefs truly divine, 
faid to them. Daughters of Jcrufalem, voecp 
not for me, but weep for yourfelves and for 
your children. For, beliold, the days are 
coming, in which they fhall fay, Blefjcd are 
the barren^ and the wombs that never bare, 
and the paps ivhich never gave fuck. Then 
fhall tluy begin to fay to the mountains, Fall 
I on us : and to the hills cover us. For if 
they do thcfe things in agreen tree, wha.t fiall 
be done in the dry ? As if he had faid, Dry 
up thefe tears, ye daughters of Jerufalem, 
which ye Ihed in compaOion to me, and 
referve them for the deplorable fate of 
yourfelves and your children ; for the 
calamities that will foon fall on you and 
your offspring, are truly terrible, and call 
for the bittereit lamentations. In thofe 
days of vengeance you v.-ill paHionately 
wiihi that you had not given birth to a 
generation, whofe vv'lckednefs has rendered 
them the objetis of the wrath of the Al- 



3 L 



2S4 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRI ST, 



mighty to fuch a degree as was never 
before experienced in the world. Then 
lhall they viJh to be crufhed under the 
wei^lit of enormous mountains, and con- 
cealcd from their enemies in the bowels 
of the earth. The thoughts of thefe cala- 
mities a{lli6t my loul far more than the 
feeling of my own fuifcriags ^ for if the 
Romans are permitted to inflift punifh- 
iTients on me who am innocent, how dread- 
ful rnuft the vengeance be which they fhall 
3n{h6l on a nation whole fins cry aloud to 
heaven, haftening the pace of the divine 
judgments, and rendering the perpetrators 
as proper for judgment as dry wood is for 
llamcs of lire. 

At the place of execution which was 
called Golgotha, or the place of a fkuU, 
IVom the criminals bones which lay fcat- 
tered there, fome of our Redeemer's 
friends olfered him a flupifying potion, 
to render him infenfible of the ignominy 
and excruciating pain of his punilhment ; 
but as foon as he tafted the potion, he 
Tefufed to drink it, being determined to 
bear his fufferings, however fnarp, not by 
intoxicating and flupifying himfelf, but 
by the ftrength of patience, fortitude, and 
faith. 

Having therefore refufed the potion, the 
foldiers began to execute their orders by 
ftripping him quite naked, and in that 
condition began to fallen him to his crofs. 
But while they were piercing his hands 
and his feet with nails, inflead of crying 
out v/ith the Iharpnefs of the pain, he 
calmly, though fervently prayed for them, 
and for all thofe who had any hand in 
his death ; befeeching the Almighty to 
forgive them, and excufing them himfelf 
by the only circumitance that could alle- 
viate their guilt ; I mean their ignorance. 
Father, faid the compaffionate Redeemer 
of mankind, Jo ! give them, for they know 
not what they do. This was infinite meek- 
iiefs and goodnefs, truly v/orthy of the 
only begotten Son of God ; an example 
of forgivencfs, which, though it can never 
be equalled by any, fliould be imitated by 
all, when fuffering in a good caufe. 

Behold now the appointed foldiers dig 
tl e hole in v/hich the crofs was to be ere6t- 
ed. The crofs is placed in the ground, 
and the blelled Jesus lies on the bed of 
tprrows : they nail him to it : they ereft 



it ; his nerves crack ; his blood diftils ;■ 
he hangs upon his wounds naked, a fpec- 
tacle to heaven and earth. Thus was the 
only begotten Son of God, who came down 
from heaven to fave the world, crucified 
by his own creatures, and, to render the 
ignominy ftill greater, placed between two 
thieves : Bear, 0 heavens I 0 earth, earth, 
earth, hear ! The Lord hath nourijhed and 
brought up children, and they have rebelled 
agamjl him ; by rejefting the only Sa- 
viour, and the God of all their mercies. 

Crimes committed by malefactors were 
ufually written on a white board with 
black, and placed over their heads on 
the crofs. In conformity to this cuftom, 
Pilate wrote a title in the Hebrew, Greek, 
and Latin languages, that all foreigners as 
well as natives, might be able to read it, 
and faftened it to the crofs, over the head 
of Jesus ; and the infcription was JESUS 
OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE 
JEWS. But when the chief priefts and 
elders had xead this title they were greatly 
difpleafed ; becaufe, as it reprefented the 
crime for which Jesus was condemned, it 
infinuated that he had been acknowledged 
for the Melfiah : befides, being placed over 
the head of one who was dying by the 
moft infamous punifhraent, it implied, that 
all who attempted to deliver the Jews, 
fhould perifh in the fame manner. The 
faith and hope of the nation, therefore, 
being thus publicly ridiculed, it is no won- 
der that the priefts thought themfelves 
highly aflPronted 5 and, accordingly, came 
to Pilate, begging that the writing might 
be altered ; but as h^^ had intended the 
affront in revenge for their forcing him to 
crucify Jesus, contrary both to his judg- 
ment and inclination, he refufed to grant 
their requeft : What I have written, faid he, 
I have written ; and perfified in his refolu- 
tion not to alter the infcription. 

The foldiers, having, nailed the bleffed 
Jesus to the crofs, and erefted it, divided 
his garments amongft them ; but his coat, 
oi- vefture, being without feara, woven 
from the top throughout, they agreed not 
to rend it, but to caft lots for it, that the 
prediftion of the prophet concerning the 
death and fufferings of the Meffiah might' 
be fulfilled : They parted my garments 
amongft them, and upon my vejlure did they 
caft IgLf^ J^., fufficient indication that every 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES, 



23b 



circumflance of the death and padion of 
the blefFed Jesus was long before deter- 
mined in the court of heaven; and, ac- 
cordingly, hij being crucified between two 
malefattors was exprefsly foretold, And he 
was 71' I. mbercd witli the trmifgrejfjrs. 

When the common people whom the 
vile priefts had incenfed againft the bleffcd 
Jesus, by the malicious falfehoods ihey 
had fpread concerning him, and which 
they pretended to found on the depofition 
of witnelfes, faw him hang in fo infamous 
a manner upon the crofs, and reading the 
infcription that was placed over his head, 
they expre{fed their indignation againft him 
by farcaftical expreOions : Ah, thou, faid 
they, that dejiroyeji the tempic, and buildeji 
it in three dcLys,'^Jave ihyfdj, and comedown 
from the crof<. 

The multitude were not the only perfons 
who mocked and derided the blelTed Jlsus, 
while he was fullering to obtain the re- 
milfion of the fms of all mankind. The 
rulers, who now imagined they had effe61- 
ually deftroyed his pretenfions to the char- 
after of the MeOiah, joined the populace 
i-n ridiculing him, and with a meannefs of 
foul, which many infamous Vvreiches would 
have fcorned, mocked him, even while he 
was ftruggling with the agonies of death : 
they fcoffed at the miracles by which he 
demonftrated himfelf to be the Meffiah, 
and promifed to believe in him, on condi- 
tion of his proving his pretenfions by de- 
fcendingfrora the crofs : He fived others, 
faid they, kivif elf he cannot Jave. If he be 
the King oj Ifrael, kt him now come down 
from the crofs, and we will believe him : 
not knowing what they faid. 

Nothing could be more falfe and hypo- 
critical than this pretenfion of the ftiif- 
necked Jews : for they continued in tlieir 
unbelief, notwithltanding. they w^ell knew 
that he raifed himfelf from the dead ; a 
much greater miracle than his coming down 
from the crofs would have been, a miracle 
attefted by witnelfes whofe veracity they 
could not call in queftion : it was told 
them by the foldiers whom they themielves 
placed at the fepulchre to watch the body, 
and who they were obliged to bribe largely 
to conceal the truth. It is therefore abun- 
dantly evident that if the blelfed Jesus 
had defcended from the crofs, the Jevv-iih 
priefts would have continued in their infi- 



delity ; and confequently that their decla. 
ration was made with no oih.er intention 
than to infult the Redeemer of mankind, 
thinking it impolfible for him now to efcape 
out of their hands. The foldiers alfo joined 
in this general fccne of mockery, Jf thou 
be the King of the Jews, laid they, fave 
thyfelf. if thou art the great Meftiah ex- 
pededby the Jews, delcend from the crofs 
by miracle, and deliver thyfelf from thefe 
excruciating torments, inflicted by thy en- 
emies. 

One of the thieves could not forbear 
mocking the great Lord of heaven and 
earth, though labouring himfelf under the 
moit racking pains, and ftruggling with the 
agonies of death ; but the other exercifed 
a moft extraordinary faith, at a time when 
our great Redeemer was defertcd by his 
Father, mocked by men, and hanged upon 
the crofs, as the moft ignominious of male- 
faQors. 'i his Jewifh criminal feems to 
have entertained a more rational and ex- 
alted opinion of the Meftiah's kingdom, 
than even the difciples themfelves ; they 
expefted nothing but a fecular empire : he 
gave ftrong intimations of his having an 
idea of Christ's fpiritual dominion : for 
at the very time when Jesus was dying on 
the crcfs, he begged to be remembered by 
him when he came into his kingdom : Lord, 
faid he, remember me -when thou comeft into 
thy ki?jgdom. Nor did he make his requeft 
in vain : the great Redeemer of mankind 
anfwered him. Verily, I fay unto thee, to-day 
fialt thou be with me in Faradif : thereby 
evidencing the immediate happinefs of the 
I righteous after death. 

Let us now attentively confider the hif- 
tory of our bleflcd Saviour's pafTion, as it 
offers to our view events abfolutely afton- 
ifhing : for when we remember the per- 
I feft innocence of our great Redeemer, the 
uncommon love he bore to the children of 
'men, and the many kind and benevolent 
! offices he did for the fonsand daughters of 
'affliftion ; when we refleft on the efleem 
' in which he was held- all along by the com- 
|mon people, how cheerfully they followed' 
■ him to the remoteft corners of the country, 
nay, even into the dcfolate retreats of the 
! wiidernefs, and with what pleafure they 
liftened to his difcourles ; when we conlider 
thefe particulars, I fay, we cannot help 
being aftonifhed to find them at the con- 



23^^ LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST, 

clufion, rufliing all oF a fudden into the j The moft' implacable and diabolical 
oppofite extrernes, aiid every individual, as • malice- irritated the priefts and Scribes 
it were, combined to treat him with lhe!againn: him ; becauie he had torn off their 
moft barbarous cruelty and inlblt. jmaiksof hypocrify, and fhewed them to 

Pilate having aiked the people, if they the people in their true colours. It is, 
delired to have Jesus releafed, his dilci- 'therefore, no wonder, tliat they ridiculed 
pies, though they were very nvimcrous, and his miracles, from whence he derived his 
might have made a great appearance in his ' reputation. In fliort, the thief alfo fancied 
behalf, remained abiolutely blent, as if, that he would have delivered both himfelf 




him in the moft inhuman manner; the high charafter he affumed 
Scribes and Pharifees ridiculed him ; the | Now, my Ibul, take a viev/ of thy dying 
c:ommon people, who had received him ^Saviour, breathing out his foul upon the 
with Hofannas a few days before, wagged | crofs ! Behold his unfpotted fleili lacerated 
their heads at him as they paffed by, and ,' with ftripes, by which thou art healed ! See 
railed on him as a deceiver ; nay, the very ; his hands extended and nailed to the crofs - 
thief on the crofs reviled him, in the midft,thofe beneficent hands, which were incef- 
of his fufferings. jfantly ftretched out to unloofe the heavy 

Though this ftjdden revolution in the ; |^"^^ens^"d^o i^^part bleffings of every 
minds of the whole nation may feem un- ' S'^^old his feet riveted to the ac- 

accountable; yet if v/e could aflign a pio-l^^^^^^ ^^'^^ ^^^^ "^^^^s : thofe feet which 
per reafon for the filence of the difciples, ' ^^^^7^ 7^"^ ^^^^^ domg good, and tra- 
ihe principles which influenced the reftj^.^/jed far and near to fpread the glad 
might be difbovered in ther feveral fpeech- I "^i'ngs of everlafting falvation ! View his 
es. The folloY/ers of the blefted Jesus i ^f^^^^ temples encircled with a wreath of 
had attached themfelves to him, m ex- j^^^^^^^^' . ^''^^Y^ ^^fot their keen affliaive 
peaation uf being raifed to great wealth P^^.^f ^"^^ '^^^ blefted head; that head 
and power in his'kingdom, which they 7^^ f^"" meditating peace to poor 

peaed would have been eftablifhed long ; ^^^^ ^["^ V"^"^"^ Z^''"^''^' and Ipent many 
before this time : but feeing no appearance f ^^^kefui ni^ht in ardent prayers for their 
at all of what they had fo long hoped , ^^W"^!^ • peejiim labouring in the ago- 
for, they permitted him to be condemned, i ^[^^^ j \ ^/:^^^l^;"g out foul into 
perhaps, becaufe they thought it would, l^^'^^^ ^-^^ Almighty Father, and 
have obliged him to break the Roman f^^y^^P^;".^^^^ ^^"^^ enemies ! Was ever 
yoke by ibme miraculous aa of divine J^o^e liKe this was ever benevolence fo 
power. 1 ^"^V tliiplayed ? O, my foul ! put thou thy 

r^, ' r u- 1 . : truft m that bleeding, that dyina Saviour ; 

ine foldiers were angry that any one I, peftilence walketh ia 

ftould pretend to royalty m judea, where ^..i^^^^g.^^ ,1^^ ^^^j^^^^^ deftroyeth at 
C^far had eftablifhed his authority ; h^^^^^ thoufands fall be fide 

they infuhed our bleffed Saviour with the , thoufand at thy right hand 

title of Kmg, and pam him, m mocKery, thou needeft not fear the approach of anv 
the honours of a fovereign : and as for , Either the deftroying angel fliall pafs 
the common people, they feemed to have >^,^, ^i^^e, or difpenfe the corVeaions of a 
loft their opinion of him, probably be- friend, not the fcourges of an enemy 
caufehehad neiiher convinced the coun- ; i^dead of hurting, will work for 

cil. nor refcued nmfelf when they con-^j good: then though profanenefs and- 
^Tf T' P rT""' infidelity, far more mafena^t-evils, breathe 

confider the ftory of his pretending to^^^^^ir contagion, and taint the morals of 
deftroy the temple and buiid It m three i,^^-^j,i^^des around thee, thou ftalt be 
days, as a kind oi blafphemy becaufe it jPafely hid in the hollow of his hand ami 
required divine power to perform fuch a j from every dan-er in time snd for 

work, L^^j-^ ^ 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



257 



Then, O my foul, take fanftuary under 
-that tree of hfe, the ignominious croLs oi 
thy bleeding Saviour ; let us Oy for (afcty 
to that city of refuge opened in his bleed- j 
ing wounds : theie will prove a lacred 
hiding place, not to be pierced by the 
ilames of divine wrath, or the fiery darts 
of temptation : his dying merits, his per- 
fe61 obedience, vv'ill be as rivers of water 
in a dry place, or as the fhadotu of a great 
rock in a weary land. But particularly m 
' that lad tremendous day, when the heavens 
(hall be rent afunder, and wrapped up like 
a I'croll ; when hi^ Almighiy arm fhall 
arrell the fun in his career, and dahi the 
Oru^lure of the univerfe to pieces ; when 
the dead, both fmall and great, (hall be 
gathered before the throne of his glory, 
and the fates of all mankind hang on the 
very point of a final irreverhble decifion : 
then, if thou hafi: faithfully trufled in him, 
and made his precepts thy condant direc- 
tors, thou fhalt be owned and defended by 
him. O reader ! may both thou that pe- 
lufed, and he who hath written this for 
thy fouls advantage, be covered at tliat 
:unuiteraldy important junfture, by the 
wings of his redeeming love ; then fhall 
we behold all the horrible convulfions of 
expiring nature with compofure, with com- 
fort ! we [hall even welcome the confum- 
mation of all things, as the times of re- 
f refiling from the prefence of the Lord, and 
be eternally happy with hira. 

Behold the fun, confcious of the fuiTer- 
ings of his Maker, and as it were to hide 
his face from this deteftable aftion of mor- 
tals, is wrapped in the pitchy mantle of cha- 
otic darknefs ! This preternatural eclipfe 
of the fun continued for three hours, to 
the great terror and ailonifliment of the 
people prefent at the execution of our 
dear redeemer. And furely nothing could 
be more proper than this extraordinary al- 
teration in the face of nature, while the 
Sun of Righteoufnefs was withdrawing his 
beams, not only from the promifed land, 
but from the whole world ; for it was at 
once a miraculous teffimony given by the 
Almighty himfelf to the innocence of his 
. Son, and a proper emblem of the depar- 
ture of him who was the Light of the! 
world, at leafi till his 



the beams of tlie mornin 



uminoiis rays, like 
llione out anew' 

3 



uitli additional fplcndcur, \\\ il-e miniHiy 
of his apolHcs, after his aiccnfion. 

The darkncis which now covered Judca 
and the neighbouring countries, begimiing 
about noon, and continuing till Jr.scs ex- 
pired, could not be the cilc61 of an ordi- 
nary eclipfe of the fun. It is well known 
that thefe phacncracna can ordy liappcn a: 
the change of the moon, v. hcrcas the Jcv, - 
ifii paffbver, at which our dear Redeemer 
I'ul'fered, Vv'as always celebrated at the full ; 
behdes, the total darknefs of an eclipfe of 
the fun, never exceeds tv/elve or fifieen 
minutes, whereas this continued iuii three 
hours. J\othing, therefore, but the im- 
mediate hand of that Almighty Being 
which placed the fun in the centre of the 
planetary fyflem, could have produced this 
aflonilhing darknefs : nothing but Omni- 
potence, who firll lighted this glorious lu- 
minary of heaven, could have deprived it 
of its cheering rays. Now ye fcoffers of 
Ilrael, whofe blood have ye fo earneflly 
defired, and wiPaed it. might fall upon you 
and your children ! behold all nature is 
drefl in the fable vale of fbrrow, and in a 
lan^uatre that cannot be millaken, mourns 
the departure of its Lord and Mauer ; 
weeps for your crimes, and deprecates the 
vengeance of heaven upon your guilty 
heads ! Happy for you that this fufiering 
Jssus is compafhon itleif, and even in the 
agonies of death, prays to his heavenly 
Father to avert from you the flroke of 
his juifice, thereby openiijg the gate of 
mercy even to you his murderers ! 

The Heathens themfelves confidered this 
preternatural eclipfe of the fun as a miracle, 
and one of them cried out, " Ejther the 
world is at an end, or the God of nature 
futfers !" And well might he ufe the ex- 
preihon : for never fmce this planetary fyf- 
tein was called from its primitive chaos, 
was known fuch a deprivation of light in 
the glorious luminary of day. Indeed, 
when the Almj'ghty puniflied Pharaoh for 
refuiing to let the children of Jfrael depart 
out of his land, the fable veil of darknefs 
was for three days drawn over Egypt ; but 
this darknefs wasconrined to a part of that 
kingdom ; whereas tliis that happened at 
our Saviour's crucifixion, was univcrfal, 
and not merely local. 

The dhciplcs naturally confidered rho 
M 



-238 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST, 



darknefs, when ii began, as a prelude to-iher defeth : her hulband Jofeph having-, 
ihe deliverance of their Mailer: for though i been dead fome time before, 
the chief prieils, eideis, and people, had] v\e have nowbefore us an evident proof, 
larcailicalfy dcfired hirn to delcend nom i that, in the inidR of the heaviefl fufferings 
the accurfed tree, his friends could not but ^ human nature ever fuflained, the bleffed 
be peifaaded, that he who had delivered ; Jesus dcmonllrated a divine ftrength of 
fo many from' incurable difeafcs, who had > benevolence ; even at the time when his 
created limbs for the maimed, and eyes for own diRrefs was at the highcfl pitch, and 
the blind, v.'ho had given fpeech to the ■ nature was drelFed in the robe of mourning 
dumb, and called the dead from the cham- j for the fufferings of her great Creator : his 
bers of the dull, might eafi'y fave himfelf, i friends had fo large a fhare of his concern, 
even from the crofs. When, therefore, his that their happinefs interrupted the fnarp- 
mother, his mother's filler, Mary Magda- nefs of his pains, and for a Ihort time en- 
lene, and the beloved difciple obferved i groffed his thoughts. 



the veil of darknefs begin lo extend over 
the face of nature, they drew near to the 



Now the moment when Jesus fiiould 

. , . refign ins foul into the hands of his hea- 

ioot of the crofs, probably in expe6tation yenly Father approached, and he repeated 
that the Son of God was going to (hake ^^^.^^ at lea ft, of the twenty-fecond Pfalm, 
the frame of the univerfe, unloofe himfelf j uttering with a loud voice thefe remarkable 



from the crols, and take ample vengeance 
on thofe cruel and perhdious enemies who 
had fo defpiteiully treated him. 

At this av/ful period, the bleffed Jesws 
was in the midfl of his fufferings; yet 
when he faw his mother and her compan- 
ions, their grief gieatly affccled his tender 
breaft, elpecially the diftrefs of his mother. 
The agonies of death, under which he was 
now labouring, coidd not prevent his ex 



words, Eli, Eli, lama fabachthani ? that 
is, Mj' God, my God, xohy Ivijl thou forfaken 
me ? Or, My God, my God, how long a 
time hajl thou forfaken me I as the words 
may be rendered. 

It is believed by fome, that our bleffed 
Saviour repeated the whole Pfalm, as it 
was cullomary with the Jews, in making 
quotations, to mention only the firfl words 
of the Pfalm or feftion which they cite. 



prciTing the moft aifeaionate regard both If fo, as this Pfalm contains the moll re 
for her and for them : for that Ihe might markable particulars of our dear Redeem- 
havc fome confolation to fupport her under | er's paffion, being as it were a fummary of 
the greatnefs of her farrows, he tokl her, all the prophecies relative to that fubjeS, • 

by repeating it on the crofs, the blelfed 
Jesus fignilied thathe was now accomplilh- 
ing the things that were predicted concern- 
ing the Melfiah. And as the Pfalm is com- 
pofed in the form of a prayer, by pro- 
nouncing it at this time, he alfo claimed 
of his Father, the performance of all the 
promifes he had made, whether to him or 



the difciple whom he loved, would, for the 
fake of that love fupply his place to her 
after he was taken from them, even the 
place of afon ; and, therefore, he defired 
her to confider him as fueh, and exped 
from him all the duties of a child : Woman, 
faid he, behold thy fon ! ' 

This remarkable token of fiiial affeBion 



i his remarKaDie tOKen or nuai aucLiiun ^i^i.^x.^o ..^^ .w^v^^, ^ ^ 

towards his mother, was not the only in- to his people ; the chiel ot which are re 



fiance the dving Jesus gave of his fincere 
love for his friends and iollowers ; the be- 
loved difciple had alfo a token of his high 
cfteem ; he fmgled him out as the only 
perfon among liis friends, to fupply his 
place v/ith regard to his mother. Accord- 
iiigly, he defired him exprefsly to reverence 
he'r m the fame manner as if (he had been 
his own parent: a duty which the favour- 
ite dilciple gladly undertook ; for he car- 
ried her with him to bis houfe, and main- ^ xv^.^j.^..^ «..v^ 
mned her from that hour to the day of jpofiij^ie, to fee whether Eiias would 



corded in the latter part of the Pfalm above 
mentioned. 

When fome of the people, who ftood 
by, heard our blefled Saviour pronounce 
the firft words of this Pialm, they mifun- 
derflood him, probably from their noi 
hearing him dillinftly, and concluded that' 
he called for Elias ; upon which one of 
them filled a fpunge with vinegar, put it 
on a reed, and gave him to drink, being/ 
defirous of keeping him alive as long, as 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



239 



tb talce him down from the crofs. But as I 
foon as Jesus had tailed the vinegar, he 
faid, h is jimjhed : that is, ilie work of 
man's redcinp:ion is accomphihed ; that 
great work which the only begotten Son of 
God came into ihe world to j)erfbrm, i$ 
finilhed. In ipeaking the!;- words, he cried 
wiih an exceeding load voice, and, alter 
that, he addrefled his Ah nighty Father 
in word-; v;hich form the belt pattern of 
a recommendatory prayer at the hoar of 
death : Father, into thy kinds I coinmaid 
my fpirit and having uttered thele words, 
he "bowed his head, and yielded up the 
ghoil. 

At the very inftantthat the b'efTed Jtsus 
refigned his foul into tlie hands of his hea- 
venly Father, behold ! the vail of the tem- 
ple was miraculoully rent from the top to 
the bottom ; probably in the pre fence of 
the priell who burnt incenfe in the holy 
place, and who doubtlefs publillied the ac- 
count when he came out : for oir blefled 
Saviour expired at the ninth hour, the very 
time of of^er ing the evening facrifice. Nor 
was this the only miracle that happened at 
the death of the great Meffiah , no, the 
earth trembled from its very foundations, 
the flinty rocks burfl afunder, and the fepuL 
chres hewn in them were opened, and many 
bodies of faints depofited there, awaked 
after his refurreftion from the fleep of 
death, left the gloomy chambers of the 
tomb, went into the city of Jerufalem, 
and appeared unto many. Li all proba- 
bility thefe faints were difciples of our 
blelled Saviour, who had but lately pafled 
through the valley of the fhadow of death ; 
for when they went into the city they 
were known to be faints by the perfons 
who faw them, which could not well have 
happened if they had not been co-tempo- 
raries with them. 

As tlie rending of the vail of the temple 
intimated, that the entrance into the holy 
place, the type of heaven, Vv^as now laid 
oaen to all nations ; fo the reilirreftion of 
a number of faints from the dead, demon- 
Itrated that the power of death and the 
grave was broken : the fung was taken 
from death, and the vi6lory v/relted from 
the grave. In Ihort, our dear Redeemer's 
conc|uefts over the enemies of mankind, 
were fliewn to be complete, and an earneil 
was given of the general rcfurreclion. 



The remarkable events which attended 
that awful period when Jrsus gave up tl-K- 
giH^It, dirl not only aliett the natives of 
Judea, but ti;e Roman centurion, who was 
placed riear the crols, to prevent diforders 
of any kind, glorifed the Almighty and 
cried out, Tru'y this man zcas the San f/God. 
And all the people, when they behc:ld hea- 
ven itl'elf bearing witnefs to the truth of our 
2" re a t Redeemer's miflion, fmote their breafls 
and returned. They had been inPtant with 
Voud voices to have him crucified ; but when 
they faw the face of the creation wrapt in 
the gloomy triantlc of clarknefs during his 
crucifixion, and found his death accompa* 
nied with an earthquake, as if nature had 
been in an agony when he died, they rightly 
interpreted thefe prodigies to be i'o many 
teflimonies from the Almighty of his inno- 
cence ; and their palTions wliich had been 
inflamed and exafperated againfl him, be 
came quite calm, or exerted in his behalf. 

Some were angry with themfelves for 
negleiting the opportunity the governor 
gave them of favmg his life ; fome w^re 
Hung with remorfe for having been active 
in procuring Pilate to condemn him, and 
even offering the moft bitter infults. while 
he laboured under the cruelleil of fuffer- 
ings ; and others were deeply affe8ed at 
beliolding the pains he fuiTered, v;hich were 
as fevere as they were undeferved. Thefe 
various paiTions being vifibly painted in 
their countenances, afforded a melancholy 
fpectacle ; the whole multitude returning 
from the cruel execution with their eyes 
fixed upon the earth, penfive and filent ; 
their hearts ready to burd with grief, 
groaning deeply within themfelves, {bed- 
ding floods of tears, and finiting on their 
breafts, to teft'ify their forrow. 

It is obfervcible that the grief they now- 
felt for the blelled Tesus was diflinouilhed 
from their former rage ag^ill liim by this 
remarkable particular, thavtheir rage was 
entirely ov/ing 10 the artful iiifinu^oi^s o*f 
the priefls ; whereas their grief wa^ th.c 
genuine, the natuial fcelms^ of ih, ;r own 
hearts, greatly affected with the truth and 
innocence of him who was the object of 
their commiferaticn : and as flattery had no 
(hare in this mourning, fb the expreffi ms 
of tiieir forrow was fuch as became a rea4, 
and unfeigned -pafli jn. Nor was this uii- 
aiTecled mourning fhev/n by only a fe\v 



240 



LIFE OF JESUS Cl^RIST, 



perfons, who might have been reprefented j Redeemer, that ^hen dicy parted afier he 
as the particular friends of the fufferingjhad given up die ghoft, they covered the 
Jesus; no, it war. i he general condition of j roads, and, as it were, darkened all the 
the people who had repaired to Calvary, in ^ furrounding country, 
order to behold the crucihxion of our dear i 



CHAPTER 



XXXIX.. 



A Roman Soldier ihrnjls his Spear info our Saviour's- fide : Jofcph of 'Arimathea comes 

to Filate, and begs oj him the body (?/ Jesus, 



Y the law of Mofes, it was exprefsly 
forbidden that the bodies of thofe who 
were hanged (bould remain all night on the 
tree. In conformity to this law, and becaiife 
the Sabbath was at hand, the Jews begged 
the. governor, that .the legs of the three 
perfons crucified might be broken, to haften 
their death. To this requefl: Pilate readily 
confented ; and accordmgly gave the ne- 
ceifary orders to the foldiers to put it in 
execution: but on perceiving that Jesus 
was already dead, the foldiers did not give 
themfelves the trouble of breaking his legs, 
as they had done thofe of the two male- 
faftors that were crucified with him. One 
of them, however, either out of wantonnefs 
or cruelty^ thrull a fpear into his fide, and 
out of the wound flowed blood and water. 
Some fuppofe that the fpear reached his 
heart ; but however that be, it is certain, 
from the water which iffued from the 
wound, that he pierced the pericardium ; 
and confequently mufl have killed him, 
had he not before been deprived of life. 

It was of the greateft importance to 
mankind that this wound was given, for it 
abundantly demonftrated the truth of our 
Saviour's death, and confequently prevent- 
ed all; objections, that the enemies to our 
holy faith would otherwife have raifed 
againft it. The evangel ifl adds, that the 
legs of our great Redeemer wera not bro- 
ken, but his fide pierced, that two parti- 
cular prophecies might be fulfilled : A bone 
of him /halt not be broken ; and, They f,iall 
look on him whom they ho.ve pierced, and be 



convinced of the horrid imDiety of the 
deed, as many of them afterwards were,, 
on the preaching of Peter. 

The^ v/as a perfon amongfl the difciples 
of the bleffed Jesus, called Jofeph of Ari- 
mathea ; he was equally remarkable for his' 
birth, fortune, and office. This man, who 
was not to be indmidated by the malice of 
his countrymien, went boldly to Pilate, and 
begged the body of his great Mafier : he 
had indeed nothing to fear from the Roman 
governor, who, during the whole courfe of 
our Saviour's trial, had (hewn the greatefl 
inclination to releafe him ; but he had rea- 
fon to apprehend, that this aftion might 
draw upon him the malice of the rulers of 
the Jev7s, who had taken fuch great pains 
to get their Meffiah crucified. The great 
regard, however, he had for the remains of 
his Mafter, made him defpife the malice of 
the Jews, being perfuaded that Omnipo- 
tence would defend him, and cover his 
enemies with fnarae and confufion : and he 
well knev/, that if no friend procured ai 
grant of the bod}^, it would be igncmini- 
oufly cafl out amongft the executed male— 
factors, and perhaps be expofed to many 
indignities. 

The governor was at firfl furprifed at the 
requeft of Jofeph, thinking it highly im- 
probable that he fhoidd be dead in fo fliort 
a time. He had indeed given orders for 
the foldiers to break the legs of the cru- 
cified perfons ; bat he knew it was not 
uncomvnon for them to live many hours 
after that operation was performed ; for 



AKD LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



though the pain it left rfiuil be cxquifite j And thi;, O mortal.^, is vo'.;r confolatioa 
in the lall degree, yet as the vital parts j and fccurity ! Jf.sus lins trod t!:c dreafl- 
remain iintoucl'ed, life would continue ^ ful path, and fnioo'Jird it for voiir padat^c. 
fonie time in the miferahle hcdy. Pilaie i JeSus, (1 eping i i the chniiibers of ilie 
therefore called the centurion to know the i tomb, has bright ncd the didral inanlion. 



truth of what joieph h?.d told him ; and 
being convinced, from the anfucr of that 
oHicer, that Jzsus had been dead Tome 
lime, he readiiy granted the requcfl:. 

Having obtained his dcfire, tiiis worthy 
counfcllor repaired to mount Calvary ; 
and being alhiled by Nicodeinus, toOxk the 
body down irom the crofs. 1 he latter 
was formerly io cautious in vifitii.g Jesus 
that he came to him by night ; but in 
paying the lall dudes to hii MaHer, he 
iifed no art to conceal his defign 
Ih 



and left an inviting odour in ihofc bcdi 
of dulL I'he dying Jksi'S is your furc 
prote61ion, your unc|uc flionable paffpoi t 
through the territories of the grave. Be- 
lieve in him with all your hearts, and love 
and obey him, and you will find him tli^ 
highv/ay to Sion ; he will tranfmit yen 
fafe to paradife. Piclicve in liim. and you 
fhall be no lofers, but unff cakable j;ainer'j 
by your diffolution. For hear what t!:e 



oracle of heaven fays on this important 
he 1 point : ]VhoJo be/icvdJi in in% Jlialt ncz-er 
ewed a courage far fuperior to that oildie. Death fhall no longer be mflicled as 
any of the apoitles ; not only affiffing a puniiliraent, but rather vouchfafed as a 
Jofeph in taking dovva the body of Jesus ; bleffing. Their exit is the end of their 
from the crofs, but bringing with him a j frailty, and their entrance upon perfcc- 
quantity of i'piccs nectflary in the burial j tion : their laft groan is the prelude to life. 



of his Saviour. Accordingly, they wrapt 
the body, with the fpices, in fine linen, 
and laid it in a new fepulchre, which Jofeph 
had hewn out of a rock for himfelf. This 
fepulchre was htuated in a garden near 



mimortality, and joy. 

The women of Galilee, who had watch- 
ed their dear Redeemer in his lafl moments, 
and accompanied his body to the fepulchre, 
obferving that the funeral rites were per- 



mount Calvary: but being not entirely j formed in a hurry, agreed among them 
finifhed when they depohted it in the body jfelves, as loon as the fabbaih was palfed, 



of the bleffed Jesus, they fsflened the 
entrance by rolhng a very large ftone 



Ml on It. 



What a wonderful fpeftacle was now 



to return to the fepulchre, and embalm the 
body of their great Saviour, by anointing 
and fvrathing hmi in the manner then com- 
mon r.mongit the Jews. Accordingly, they 



exhibited in this memorable fepulchre ! j returned to the city, and purchafcd the 
He who clothes himfelf with liglit, as with] fpices neceffary for that purpofe ; Niccde- 
a garment, and v/alks upon the wings ofjmus having furnifhed only a mixture of 
the wind, \\'as pleafed to wear the habili- myrrh and aloes for the above end. 



mentsof mortality, and dwell amongfl; the 
prcftrate dead ! Who can repeat the won- 
derous truth too often ? Who can dwell 
upon the enchanting theme too long ! 
^He who fits enthroned in glory, and dif- 
fufes blifs aiTiongft all the heavenly hoft, 
vras once a pale and bloody corpie, and 
prefTed the floor of this little fepulchre ! 
Wonder, O heavens ! and be aftonifhed, 
O earth ! 

In that folemn hour how great was thy 
triumph, O death ! never did thy gloomy 
realms contain fuch a prilbner before. — 
' Prilbner, did I fay ? No, he was more 
than conquerer. He arofe far more might- 
ily than Sampfon from a tranhent flum- 
ber ; broke down the gates, and demolifiied 
the fironff holds of tiiofe dark dominions. 



The chief priefts and Pharifees, during 
thefe tranfaclions, remembering that Jesus 
had more than once predifted his ov/n rc- 
furreftion, came to the governor, and in- 
formed him of it ; begging, at the fame 
time, that a guard might be placed at the 
fepulchre, lefl his difciples Ihould carry 
away the body, and afhrm that he was 
rifen from the dead. This happened a 
little before it was dark in the evening, 
called by the evangelill the next day, 
becaufe the Jews begun their day at fun ; 
fet. This requeft being thought reafon- 
able by Pilate, he gave them leave to take 
as many foldiers as they pleafed out of the 
cohort, which at the feafl came from the 
caffle Antonia, and kept guard in the 
porticoes of the temoie. For that they 
N 



2-^2 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST, 



were not JswiOi bul Roman Soldiers, whom 
the prieiLs employed to watch the fepul- 
chre, 13 evident from their afking them 
of the fTOverncr : befides, when the fol- 
diers- returned with th'i; news of our Sa- 
\ lour's refarretlion, the prieRs defired them 
to report that his diftiples had (lolen him 
away while they {lept ; and to encourage 
them to tell that fallehood boldly, prom- 
iled, that if their negleft of duty came to 
the governor's ears, proper methods (liould 
be ufed to pacify him, and deliver them 
from any puniihment : a promife which 
there was no need of making to fervants 
under their own immediate command. 

Now the pricfls having thus obtained 
a guard of Roman foldi^^rs, men, long ac- 
cuitomed to military duties, and therefore 



moft proper fgr watching the body, fet 
out with ihem to the fepulchre ; and to 
prevent iKefe guards from combining with 
the dilciples ni carrying on any fraud, 
placed them at their poit, and fsaled the 
(lone which was rolled to the door of the 
fepulchr.'. Thus, whilil the prieils cau- 
tiouily propofed to prevent the refurrec- 
tion oi our great Redeemer from being 
palmed upon the world, and doubtlefs in- 
tended, after the third day was paft, to 
fhev/ his body publicly as aa impollor, 
they placed the truth of this ftupendous 
miracle beyond all doubt, by furnifliing a 
number of unexceptionable witnelfes to ir, 
whofe teliimony they ihemfelves could not 
refufe or gainfay, and therefore attempted 
to flifle it. 



C II AFTER 



XL. 



4li2ry Magdalene, and the other Mary, go out to view the Sepulchre, and bring Spices 
to emhalni the body of Jesus: A great Eartkqaake accompanies the Refurredion : 
An Angel defcends, and Jesvs ri/es from the Dead: The Behaviour of the Jewfk 
Rulers thereupon. ■ 



AFTER the fabbath, Mary Magdalene 
and the other Mary, came very early 
in the morning to vifit the fepulchre, in 
erder to embalm our Lord's body : for 
the performance of which they had, in 
concert with fevcral other women from 
Galilee, brought unguents and fpices. 
But before they reached the fepulchre, 
there was a great earthquake preceding 
the moft memorable event that ever hap- 
pened amongil the children of men, the 
refurreftion of the Son of God from the 
dead : For the angel of the Lord defcended 
f-om heavm, and came and rolled back the 
fone Jroni the door of the fepulchre, and fat 
vpon it : his countenance was like lightning., 
and his raiment zvhite as fmw ; and jor 
fear oj him the keepers did Jhak'e, and became 
as dead vim ; they fled into the city, and 
the Saviour of tlie world rofe from the 
dead. '1 he angel, v/ho had till then fat 
tiDon the ftone, quitted hij ilaaon, entered 



into the fepulchre, and probably placed 
the linen clothes and knapkin in the order 
they were afterwards found and obferved 
by John and Peter. 

In the mean time, Mary Magdalene and 
the other Mary were fliil on iheir way to 
the fepulchre, together with Salome, who 
joined them on the road. As they pro- 
ceeded on their way they confulted amongft 
themfelves with recrard to the method of 
putting their intention of embalming the 
body of their beloved Mailer in execution ; 
particularly with refpecl to the enormous 
iione which they had feen placed there 
with the utmoll difficulty tv/o days before : 
Who, faid ih€y,fiall roll us away the Jtone 
from the door oJ the fepulchre ? Jor it ivas 
very great. But in the midll of their de- 
liberation about removing this great and 
fole obftac!e to their dehgn (for it does 
not appear they knew any thing of the 
1 guard) they lift up their eyes, and per* 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



243 



ceived it v/as already rolled away : alarmed 
at ib extraordinaiy and 1"> uiitxpe^ted a 
circurnltance, Mary Magdalene eoncludcd, 
that the Hone could not be rolled away 
without fome dcfign ; and that they who 
rolled it away could have no other dcfign, 
than that of removing our Lord's body ; 
and being convinced by appearances that 
they had really done To, (he ran imme- 
diately to acquaint Peter and John of'what 
fhe had feen, and what (he luipe£led ; 
leaving Mary and Salome there, that it' 
the oihcr women ^^ould arrive during her 
ablence, they might acquaint them with 
their furprife at finding the ftone removed, 
and of Mary Magdalene's running to in- 
form the apoilles of the extraordinary 
event. 

The foldiers, who were terrihed at feeing 
an awful nielTenger from on high roll avv^ay j 
the {lone from the door of tlie fepulchrc. 
and open it in quality of a fervant, fied 



into the city, and informed the fewilii 
rulers oF thefe miraclous appearance.^. 
I'his account \;as highly mortifying- to the 
chief prielts, as it was a proof '^of our 
Saviour's refurrection that could not be 
denied ; they therefore rcf)lved to flitie it 
immediately ; and, accordingly, bribed the 
loldiers to conceal the real fac^ and to 
publilh every where, that his dilciples had 
Itolen the body out of the fepulchrc. 
What ! the body taken away while the fc- 
pulch re was guarded by Roman foldiers V 
Yes ! the dilciples flole tlie body while 
the foldiers flept. A ftory fo inconfillenr, 
and which lo evidently carries il;e marks 
of its own coufutation with it, deferves no 
anfwer. The priefts themselves could not 
be fo ftupid as not to forefee Mdiat con- 
llruflion the world would put upon the 
relation of perfons, who pretended to know^ 
and tell what was done wliile ihcy were 
afleep, and in a (late of infcnfibilitv'. 



CHAPTER XLL 



The Speech oj the^ Angel to^ the Women, informing them that Jesus is rifen : Peter and 



Jesus: Peter runs to the Sepulchre a feconei Time, and as he returns fees his (r re at 
Lord and Mafier. ^ 

AFTER Mary Magdalene was gone | laid afide his terrors in which he was then 
to inform the difeiples that the Itone | arrayed, and affumed the form and drefs 
was rolled away from the mouth of the j of a human being, in order that tliefe 
fepulchrc, and the fuppofed body taken pious women, wholiad accompanied him 
aw^ay, Mary and Salome drew near to- | during the greatell part of the time of his 
wards the fepulchre, and at tlieir arrival ' public miniftry, mio-ht not be terrified • 
found what they expefted, the body of , but, notv/ithitanding* his beauty and' be- 
their beloved Mafier gone from the place ; nign appearance, they were greatly af- 
where it had been depofited by Nicodemus ' frighted, and on the point of turnino- back - 
and Jofeph of Arimathea ; but at the fame | when the heavenly melfenger, to^an^fii 
time beheld, to their great aRonifhmcnt, their fears, told them, in a c^entle accent 
a beautiful young man, m (hining raiment, ; that he knew their errand : Pear not faid' 
very glorious to behold, fitting at the right ' he ; for I knoio that ye feek Jcfas, zchich zoas 
fide of the fepukhre. MattliCW tells us, crucified. He is n n here ; for he is rijin, 
that it was the angci who had rolled away I as he faid : and then invited them to come 
the ft one, and frightened away the guards ■ down into the fepulchre, and view the 
ffom the fep^uchre. it feeing he had now i place wdiere the Son of God had Iain : that 



244 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST, 



is, to look on tlie linen clothes, and the | 
napkin that ^vas about his licad, and which | 
he had left behind him when he rofe | 
iiom the dead : for to look at the place 
in any other view would n^ t liavc tended 
to confirm their faith of his beinq; rifen. 

Greatly encouraged hv the agreeable 
news, as well as by the fweet accent with 
which this meffenger from the heavenly 
Canaan delivered his fpeech, the women 
went do^vn into the fepulchre, when be- 
hold another of the angelic ciioir appeared. 
Probably the one fat at theliead and the 
other at the feet, wdiere the body of Jesus 
had lain ; the pohtion in which they ap- 
peared to Ma)y iNlagda'ene afterwards. 

However, tlicy did not yet feem to give 
credit to what was toldihem by the angel ; 
and therefore the other gently chid them 
for feeking the livinar amoncft the dead. 
With an intention to do him an onice due 
only to the latter, and for not believing 
what was told them by a melfenger from 
heaven, or rather for not remembein'T 
the w^ords wh.ich their great Mafter had 
himfelf told them with res:ard to his own 
refurreftion : Why jeckye the living amongji 
the dead ? He is not here, but is rifcn : 
remember how he fpake unto you when he \ 
was yet in Galilee, faying, the Son of man ' 
muf be delivered into the hafids of frnful 
men, and be ciucfed, and the third day rife 
again. 

After this, when the v/omen had falisfied 
their curiofity by looking at the place 
where our Lord had Iain, and where no- | 
thing was to be found but the hncn clothes, 
the angel wdio hrft appeared to them re- 
fumed the difcourfe, and bade them go 
and tell his difciples, particularly Peter, the 
glad tidings of his rcfurre6lion from the 
dead ; that he was going before them to 
Galilee; and that they ihould there have 
the plcafure of feeing him in perfon. 

The difciples, it may reafonably be fup- 
pofed, were ordeied to go into Galilee to 
meet their great and beloved Maftcr, bt- 
caufe they were now moil of them in Je- 
rufalem, celebrating the paffover ; and it 
may eafily be imagined that, on the receiv- 
ing the news of their Lord's refurre6lion. 
many, if not all of them, w^ould refolve to 
tarry in Jerufalem, in expeftation of meet- 
ing him : a thing which muft have proved 
of p-reat detriment to them at that time of 



the year, when tl'e harvcfl was about t© 
begin, the fheaf of firfl fruits being always 
ofiercd on the iecond day of ihe paffover- 
week. In order therefore to prevent their 
flaying io long from home, the melfage 
v;as fent dire6iingthem to return into Gal- 
ilee, with fall alfurance, that they fiiould 
there have the pleafure of feeing their great 
Lord and Maffer; and by that means be 
happily relieved from the fufpicion of his 
b: ing an nnpoitor, which doubtlefs had 
arifen in their minds, when they faw him 
expire on the crcfs. Hereupon the women, 
highly elate d w.\h the news of their Lord's 
refurreftion, left the ft pulchre immediately, 
and ran to carry the difciples tliele glad 
tidings. 

In the rnean time, Peter and John, hav- 
ing been inform.ed by Mary Magdalene, 
that the ftone v\^as rolled away, and tlic 
body of Jesus not to be found, were 
hallening to the grave, and miiled the 
women who had feen this vihon of angels. 
Thefe difciples being adonifhcd at what 
Mary Magdalene had told them, and de- 
firous of ha vine their doubts cleared up^ 
inade all thehalte pofhble to the fepulchre.; 
and John being younger than Peter arrived 
at the fepulchre firfl, but did not go in, 
contenting himfelf with flooping down and 
feeing the linen clothes lying which had 
been wrapped about our Saviour's body. 
Peter foon arrived, and went into the fe- 
pulchre, where he faw the linen clothes lie ; 
and the napkin that was about his head, not 
lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped to- 
gether in a place by lifdf. 

It is the oponion of ibme, that our dear 
Redeemer folded up the napkin, to fliew 
the perfecl calmnefs and coinpofure with 
which he arofe, as out of a common fleep : 
but hov^cver that be, it is certain that he 
left the grave clothes in the fepulchre, to 
fhew that his body was not flolen away by 
his difciples, who in fuch a cafe would 
not have taken tim.e to have ftripped it ; 
bciidcs, the circum.fl:ance of the grave^ 
clothes, difpofed the difciples themfelves to 
believe when the refurreclion was related 
to them ; but at prelent they had not the 
ieafl fufpicion that lie was rifen from the 
dead, as the angels had aflirmed. 

liavmg thus fatisfed themCelves that 
what Mary Magdalene had told them was 
I really true, thole two difciples returned to 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



*15 



their refpective habitations : but Mary con- 
tinued weeping at the door of" the fepui- 
cjire : fhe had, it feems, followed Peter 
and John to the garden, but did not re- 
turn with them, being anxious to find the | 
body ; accordingly, ffepping down into 
the fepulchre to examine it once more, 
fhe fa w two angels fitting, the one at the 
head and the other at the feet, where the | 
body of Jesus had lain. They were now 
in the fame pofition, as when they appear- 
ed to the other women : but had rendered 
themfelves invifible, while Peter and John 
were at the fepulchre, feeking our Lord. 

Mary, beholding thefe heavenly mef- 
fengers, dreffed in the robes of light, was 
greatly terrified : but they, in the moi^ 
endearing accent, afked her, Woman, zohy 
weepeji t/iou ? To which fhe anfwered, 
Becaufc they have taken away my Lord, and 
I know not where they have laid him. On 
pronouncing thefe words, fhe turned her- 
felf about, and faw Jesus handing near 
her ; but the terror fhe was in, and the 
garments in which he was now dreffed, 
prevented her from knowing him for fome 
time. Jesus repeated the fame queflion 
ufed before by the angel. Woman, zohy 
weepeji thou ? To which Mary, who now 
fuppofed him to be the gardener, anfwered, 
Sir, if his body was troublefome in the 
fepulchre, and thou haft remc>Td him, tell 
me where he is depofi;ed, and I will take 
him away. But our bleffed Saviour wil- 
ling to remove her anxiety, called her by | 
her name, with his ufual tone of voice. On ' 
which fhe immediately knew him ; and 
falling down before him, would have era- 
braced his knees, according to that modefly 
and reverence with which the women, of 
the Ealf faiuted the men, efpecially thofe 
■ who were their fuperiors in ftation and 
dignity. 

Jesus refufed this compliment, telling 
her, that he was not going im.mediately 
into heaven : he v/as often to fliew himfclF 
to his difciples, before he afcended, fo that 
fhe would have frequent opportuniiies oF 
fhewing her regard to him : and at the 
fame time, faid to her, Go to my hvlhren, 
mid fay unto them, I afcend unto my Father, 
and your Father ; and to 7ny God, and your 
God. Thus did the blelled Jesus con- 
template with a fingular pleafure, the work 
of redemption lie had jull liaifh^d. The 

3 



happy relation belv.'ccn Gcd and w?,n, 
which had been long cancelled by fin, was 
now renewed ; the Almighty, who had 
difbwned them on account of tlicir rebel- 
lion, was again reconciled unto them ; he 
was become their God and Father : they 
were exalted to the honorable relation of 
Christ's brethren, and the f"ons of God ; 
and their father loved them with an affec- 
tion far exceeding thai of the moR tender- 
hearted parent upon earth. 

The kindnefs of this mefl'age fent by cur 
dear Redeemer to his difciples, will ap- 
pear above all praife, if we remember their 
late behaviour ; they had every one of 
them forfaken him in his greatefl extrem- 
ity : when he was fccurged and mocked by 
the Roman foldiers, derided by his coun- 
trymen, and fpitefully entreated by all, 
they hid themfelves in fome place of lafeiy, 
and preferred their own fecurity t;0 the de- 
liverance of their Mafter: when he fainted 
under the burden of his crofs, not one of 
them was there to affiil him ; Simon, a 
Cyrenian, was compelled by the Roman 
foldiers to eafe him of this ponderous bur- 
den. But notwithflanding they had refu- 
fed to afhfl their Mafter during his fuffer- 
ings for the fins of the v/orld, he gracioufly, 
he freely forgave them ; he affured them of 
their pardon, and even called them by the 
endearing name of brethren, notwithfland- 
ing their former flighting concluft. 

We cannot help obferving that there is 
fomething very remarkable in this part of 
the hiftory : none of the apoftles, or male 
difciples were honoured with thefirft vifions 
of the angels, or with the immediate news 
of the refurreftion of the Son of God, 
much lefs with the appearance of Jesus 
himfelf. The angels in the fepulchre kept 
themfelves invihble all the time that Peter 
and John were obferving the linen clothes, 
and iatisfying themfelves that the bodv of 
their Mafler was not theie : perhaps' the 
male difciples in general were treated v. ith 
this mark of difrcfpeft, both becaufe they 
had, with fliameful cowardice, fbrfakcii 
thcif, MaOer when he was betrayed into 
the hands of their enemies, and becaufe 
their faith was fo weak that they had abfo- 
iutely defpaired of his being the Mefhah 
when they faw him expire on the crofs : 
but how different was that condu6l of the 
women ! Laying afide the v/eaknefs and 
O 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST, 



timidity natural to their fex, they fliewcd univerfal empire, he had neither delivered 
an uncommon magnanimity on this melan- himfelf iVora an handful of enemies, nor 
choly occafion ; for in coniradiftion to the even from death, they gave over all hopes 
whole nation, who with one voice required ' of his being the Melliah : and as for his 
Jesus to be crucified as a deceiver, they' refurre6lion, they leem not to have enter- 
proclaimed his innocence by tears, cries,' tained the leaft notion of it ; fo that, whent 
and lamentations, when they law him led j the news of this great event was brought 
forth to falfer on mount Calvary ; accom-i to them, they confidered it as an idle talc, 
panied him to the crofs, the molt mfamous I But not fo the women ; they were more, 
of all puniihments ; kindly waited on him ! fubmiffive to their Ma{ter*s inftruftions, and 
in his expiring moments, giving him all ! conlequently were much better prepared 
the confolation in their power, though at ! for feeing him alter his refurreftion than 



the fame time the fight of his fufferings 
pierced them to the heart ; and when he 
expired, and was carried olF^ they accom- 
panied him to his grave, not defpairing, 
though they found he had not delivered 
himdlf, but to appearance was conquered 



the apoftles : lor though they did not ex, 
pe£l that he would rile from the dead, yet 
they were not prejudiced againfl; it. 

The apoftles, on the other hand, not only 
abi'olutely rejefted the matter at firft, as a 
thing incredible, but even after they were 



by death, the univerfal enemy of mankind, i acquainted with the accounts the foldiers 
Perhaps thefe pious women entertained i had given of this great tran faction ; nay, 
fome faint hopes that he would ftiil revive ; | after they had feen the blelled J esus him- 
or, if they did not entertain expeftations j felf, fome of them were fo unreafonable as 
of that kind, they at leafl cherilhed a ftrong ; ftill to doubf. How much rather thea 



degree of love for their Lord, and deter- 
mined to do him all poifible honour. 
It may be obferved, a faith fo remarka- 



would their incredulity have led them to 
fufpecl his appearing as an iiiunon, had ho 
(hewed himlelf to them ! Thefe reports 



bly ilrong, a lovefo ardent, and a fortitude! led them to recolleft the arguments proper 
i"o unfhaken, could not fail of receiving dif-| for difpofing them to believe ; particularly^ 
linguiihed tokens of the divine approba-i the prophecies that had been fo often de^ 
tion ; and they were accordingly honour-! livered in their own hearing, concerning 
ed with the news of Christ's refurreQion ' his refurreftion. Hence the angels, when 
before the male difciples had their eyes i they told this event to the women, and de* 
cheered with the firft fight of their beloved j fired them to carry the news of it to his difci* 
Lord, after he aroie from the chambers of I pies, put them in mind of the prediftions 
the grave ; fo that they preached the joyful • Jesu s himfelf had made, as a confirm- 
tidings of his refurre61ion to the apoftles! ation of it. Hence we alfofee the reafon 
themfelves. But there fcems to have been | why Jesus, before he had made himfelf 
other reafons why our great Redeemer j known to the difciples at Emmaus, prc- 
{hewed himfelf firft to the women: the ' pared them for a difcovery, by expounding 
thoughts of the apoftles were conftantly | to them on the road, the feveral prophc- 
fixed on a temporal kingdom, and they cies concerning the Mefliah, contained in 
had wrefted all his words into an agree- ; the Old Tcftament, which hitherto they had 
ment with that favourite notion ; and \ little attended to, or did not underftand. 
whatever they could not conftrue as con- \ The company of women, we have ob* 
fonanttothat opinion, they fecm either to j ferved, returned to the city, while Peter,, 
have dift^elieved or difregarded. j John, and Mary Magdalene, were at th« 

Notwidiftanding Jesws had foretold his | fepulchre. On their arrival they told at 
own fufterings no lefs than feven different I many of the difciples as they could find, 
times, the apoftles were aftoniftied above j that they had feen at the fepulchre a vifiori 
mcafure when they law him expire on the i of angels, who allured them that Jesus waa 
crofs. Immortality and terreftrial domin- i ri fen from the dead. This new informa- 
ion were, according to their notion, the \ tion aftoniftied the difciples exceedingly : 
charafteriftics of the Mefliah ; for which | and as they had before fent Peter and John 
r afon, when they found that inftead of ' to examine into the truth of what Mary 
dlablilhij^ himfelf in the poirellion of ^ Magdalene had told thera concerning the 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



24? 



boily's being rsmoved out of the fepulchre, 
fo they now judged it highly proper to fend 
fome of iheir number to fee the angels, 
and learn from them the joyful tidings of 
that great tranfaftion of which the women 
have given them an account. That this 
was really the cafe, appears from what the 
difciples, in their journey to Emmaus, told 
iheir great Lord and Matter; namely, that 
when the women came and told them that 
they had fccn a vifion of angels, certain of 
their number went to the fepulchre, and 
found it even as the v/omen had faid, but 
faw not Jesus. 

We may venture to affirm, that this fe- 
cond deputation from the apoflles did not 
go alone; for as Mary Magdalene returned 
with Peter and John, who were fent to 
examine the truth of her information, fo 
the women who brought an account of the 
vilion of angels, in all probability returned 
with thofe who were fent to be vvitneffes of 
the truth of their report : behdes curiohty, 
they had an errand thither. The angels 
had exprefsly ordered them to tell the news 
to Peter in particular ; for which reafon, 
when they underilood that he v/as gone to 
the fepulchre, it is natural to think they 
would return with the difciples to feek 
him. About the time that the difciples 
and women fet out for the fepulchre, Peter 
and John reached the city, but paiTmg 
through a different Ilreet, did not meet 
their brethren in the way. 

H:\ving a great defire to reach the fe- 
pulchre, the difciples foon left the women 
behind, and juft as they arrived, Mary 
Magdalene, having feen the Lord, was 
coming away ; but they did not meet her, 
bccaufe they entered the garden at one 
door, while (he was coming out at another. 
When they came to the fepulclire, they faw 
the angels, and received from them the 
ncv/s of their blelTed Mafler's refurrefllon ; 
for St. Luke tells us, thay found it even as tkc 
Ttiomen haclfaid. Highly elated with their 
fuccefs, they departed and ran back to the 
-city, w'th I'uch expediiion, that they gave 
an account of what they had feen in the 
heanng of the two di.ciples, before Mary 
Magdalene arrived. Nor will their fpeed 

■ r 

appear at all incredible, 11 we cop.r3der that 
the nature of the tidings the apoftles had 
to carry gave them wings, a* u were, to 



make their brethren partakers of their joy 
at this furprihng event. 

The company of women who followed 
the difciples, happening, in the mean time, 
to meet Peter and John, went forward irk 
ciuelf of them : but they had not gone far 
from the fepulchre, before Jesus himfelC 
met them, and laid, AIL kait ! On which 
they approached their great Lord and 
Mafter, kdd kim by ihit feet and xoorJJiipped 
him. This favour of embracing his knees, 
Jesus had before refufed to Mary Mag- 
dalene, becaufc it was not then neceffary ; 
but he granted it to the women, becaufe 
the angel's words having flrongly impreffed 
their minds with the notion of his refur- 
rection, they might have taken his appear- 
ing, for an illufion of their own imagina- 
tion, had he not permitted them to handle 
him, and convince themielves by the uni- 
ted reports of their fenfes : befides, if our 
Lord intended that Mary Magdalene fhould 
go away as fall as polfible, and publifh the 
news, he might hinder her from embracing 
his knees, to prevent her loiing any time 
before flie returned. 

Thefe pious women having tarried fome 
time with Jesus on the road, did not ar- 
rive with the joyful tidings of their great 
'Mafter's refurreclion, till feme time after 
I Peter and John ; and perhaps were over-* 
■taken by Mary Magdalene on the road, 
'unlefs wc fuppofe that fhe arrived a few 
minutes before them. But be that as it 
may, this is certain, that they arrived ei- 
ther at or near the fame time ; fo that their 
accounts of this miraculous event tended 
to confirm each other's belief of it. 

The relation of the v,'omen bavin? fill- 
ed the difciples with aftoniCiment, they 
confidered the account they had before 
given them, of their bavins: feen a vifior^ 
of angels, as an idle talc, and now they 
feem to have confidered this as fomething 
worfe ; for tlic evangeliil tells us, ikey be- 
lieved not. Peter, indeed, to whom the 
angel fent the mellage, was difpofed by his 
fanouine temper, to 51 ve a little more credit 
to dieir words than the red ; poiTibly be- 
caide the meff^ngers from the heavenly 
Canaan, had done him tlie honour of 
naming him in particular. Elated with 
'the relpecl paid him in particular, he imi- 
jmediately repaired a^aia to the fepulchre 5 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST; 



hoping, in all probability, that his Mafter 
would appear to him, or at lead the angel 
^vho had io particularly diftinguilhed him 
from the reft of his brethren. 

When Peter arrived at the fepulchre, he 
fiooped dov;n : and feeing the linen clothes 
lying in the fame manner as before, he 
viewed their pofition, the form in which 



they were laid, and returned wondering 
greatly in himfelf at that which was come to 
pcifs. In all probability, it was now that 
Peter was favoured with the fight of his 
Mailer, i Cor. xv. 5 ; for the evangelift 
tells us, that it happened on the day of our 
blefl'ed Saviour's refurreclion. 



C PI A P T E R 



XLII. 



Jesus appears to two of his Difciples on the Road to Emmaus : He appears to his 
Apojiles on the Evening of the Rcfurredion, Thomas being abfent : He appears again 
10 the Apojiles, and convinces Thomas : Shews himfclf to his Difciples at the Sea of 
Tiberias ; and to fve hundred of the Brethren in Galilee, 



NOT long after the v/omen's firft re- 
turn to the difciples with the news 
that they had feen a vifion of angels, who 
told them that Jesus was rifen from the 
dead, two of the brethren departed on their 
journey to a village called Emmaus, about 
two miles diftant from Jerufalem. The 
concern they were in on account of the 
death of their great and beloved Mafler, 
was fufficiently vifible in their countenan- 
ces ; and as they purfued their journey, ^ 
talking with one another, and debating | 
about the things that had lately happened 
amongft them, concerning the lile and doc- 
trine,'the fuiferings and death of the holy 
Jesus, and of the report that was jull 
fpread amongft his difciples, of his being 
that very morning rifen from the dead, 
Jesus himfelf overtook them, and joined 
their company. 

Appearing like a ftranger, they did not 
in the leaft fufpe^l, that their fellow travel- 
ler was no other than the great Redeemer 
of the fons of men. He focn entered mto 
difcourfe with them, by inquiring what 
event hadfo deftly engaged them m con- 
verfation, and why they appeared fo for- 
rowful and dejetled, as if they had met 
with fome heavy difappointment or fere 
affliclion. 



CIeophas_, one of the difciples, being 
furpriled at the queftion,' replied. Is it 
poilible, that you can be fo great a ftran- 
ger to the affairs of the \\^orld, as to have 
been at Jerufalem, and not have heard the 
furprifing events that have happened there; 
events that have apLonifhed the whole city, 
and are now the conftant topic of conver- 
fation amongft all the inhabitants ? Jesus 
anfwered. What icrprifmg events do you 
mean ? To which Cleophas replied. The 
tranfaftions v;hich have happened con- 
cerning Jfsus of Nazareth, who appeared 
as a great prophet and teacher fent from 
God ; and accordingly was highly venera- 
ted amongft the people, for the excellency 
of his dotirine, and the number, benefit, 
and greatnefs of his miracles. Our chief 
prielts and elders, tl erefore, envying him 
as one who leftened their authority over 
tlie people, apprehended him, and found 
means to put him to death ; but we firmly 
believed he would have proved himfelf the 
Mcffiah, cr great deliverer : and this per- 
fuafion we a long time fupported, nor i. 
were we willins: to abandon it, even v;hen 
we faw him put to death ; but it is now 
three davs fince thefe thinp^s were done, 
and therefore we begin to fear v»'e were mif- 
taken concerning h:r:3. 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



A thing indeed happened this very 
morning, which extremely furpriies us, 
and we arc very felicitous with regard to 
the event. Some women who had enter- 
tained the fame hopes and expe6tations as 
we, going early in the morning to pay their 
laft duties to their Mailer, by embalming 
his body, returned with great baile to the 
city, and informed us, that they had been 
at the fepulchre, but were dilappointed in 
finding the body ; and to incrcafe our fur- 
prife, they added, that they had feen a 
vifion of angels, who told them that Jesus 
was rifen from the dead. This relation 
■appeared at firft to us as an idle tale, alto- 
gether incredible ; but two of the company 
going immediately after to the fepulchre, 
found every thing exadly as the women 
had reported; they faw the angels, but 
heard not any thing of the body : lb that 
we are ftill in doubt an perplexity with 
regard to this wonaerful event, and what 
the end of thefe things will be. 

Jesus replied. Why are ye fo veiy 
averfe to believe all that the prophets have 
-with one voice predicted concerning the 
MelTiah ? Is it not clearly, and very ex< 
prefsly foretold, in all the prophetic wri- 
tings, that it was appointed by the council 
€»f Omnipotence for the Mefiiah to fuffer 
in this manner, and that after fuftaining the 
greateft indignities,reproach, andcontempt, 
from the malice and perverfenefs of man- 
kind, and even undergoing an ignominious 
and cruel death, to be exalted to a glori- 
ous and eternal kingdom ? And having 
faid this, he bcgan at the writings of Mofcs, 
and explained to them, in order, all the 
principal paflages, both in the books of 
that great legiflator and the writings of the 
other prophets, relating to his own fuiTer- 
ings, death, and glorious rcfurredion, as 
predi61:ed of him. 

This he did, with fuch furprifing plain- 
nefs, clearnefs, and ftrenglh, that the two 
difciples, not yet fufpefting who he was, 
were as much amazed to find a ftranger fo 
well acquainted with all that Jesus did 
and fuffered, as they at firft wondered at 
his appearing to be totally ignorant of 
thefe tranfaftions. They were alfo afion- 
ifhed to hear him interpret and apply the 
Scriptures to their prefent purpofe, with 
fuch readinefs and convincinsc clearnefs of 
argument; as carried with it a flrange and 

. 3 



unufaal authority and cBicacy. *W'hen 
therefore they came to the village whithci' 
they were going, and Jesus fiemed as il 
he would have palfed on and travelled 
further, they, defirous of his company, 
prefied him, in the ftrongell manner, to 
tarry v»ith them that night, as it was then 
late in the evening. 

The great Redeemer of mankind con- 
fcnted to this requefi, and when they were 
fat down to fupper, he took bread, and 
gave thanks to God, and brake it, and 
gave it to them in the fame manner he 
ufed to do while he converfed with them 
upon earth before his death. This engaged 
their attention, and looking fteadfafily on 
him, they perceived it was their great and 
beloved Mafter : but they had then no 
time to cxprefs their joy and aftonifiiment 
to their benevolent Redeemer ; for he van- 
ifiied out of their fight immediately. 

No fooner did they perceive that their 
Mailer was departed, than they faid one 
to another, How fiow and ftupid were v/e 
before, not to know him on the road, 
while he explained to us the Scriptures ; 
when, befides the affability of his dif- 
courfe, and the ftrenglh and cler.rnefs of 
his arguments, we perceived fuch an au- 
jthority in what he faid, and fuch a power- 
jful efficacy attending his w^ords, and ftri- 
king our hearts with affe6lion, as we could 
not but have known, if we had not been 
remarkably ftupid, to have been the very 
fame that ufed to accompany his teaching, 
and was peculiar to our dear Mafter, who 
fpake as never man fpoke. 

After this furprifing event, they did not 
think proper to flay any longer in Emmaus, 
but returned that very night to Jerufalem, 
and found the apoftles, with feveral other 
difciples, difcourfing about the reiurreclion 
of their Mafter ; and on their entering the 
room, the difciples accofted them, faying. 
The Lord is rifen indeed, and hath appeared, 
unto Simon. 

The reports of the women were little 
credited, fuppofm^ they were occafioned 
more by imagination than reality ; but 
when a pcrfon of Simon's capacity and 
gravity declared he had feen the Lord, 
they began to think that he was really rilen. 
from the dead. Their belief of this was 
greatly confirmed by the arrival of the two 
difciples from Emmaus, who declared to 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST, 



their brctliren, liov/ Jesus had appeared^ 
to them on the road, and how they dif-. 
covered him to be ihcir Mafter, by his) 
breaking of bread, when he I'at down to | 
Tapper with them. i 
During this converfation of the difciples j 
from Emmaus, defcribing the manner of 
the appearing of Jesus to them, and offer- 
ingarguments to convince thofe who doubt- 
ed the truth of it, their great Mafter him- 
i-elf put an end to the debate, by (landing 
in the mldil of them, and faid, Peace be 
unto you: 

The difciples were greatly terrified at 
this appearance of our bieffed Saviour, 
fuppofing they had feen a fpirit ; for as 
they had fecured the doors of the houfe 
where they were afiembled for fear of the 
Jews, and Jesus having opened the locks, 
by his miraculous power, without the 
knowledge of any in the houfe, it was 
natural for them to think that a fpiritual 
i'ubfiance only could enter. The circum- 
iiance therefore of the doors being Ihut, 
IS very happily mentioned by St. John ; 
becaufe it fuggefts a reafon why the difci- 
ples took the^r Mafter for a fpirit, notwith- 
ftanding many of ihem were convinced 
that he was really rifen from the dead, 
and were that moment converftng about 
the event. 

However, to difpel their fears and 
doubts, Jesus came forward, fpake to 
ihem in the moli endearing accent, fhew- 
cd them his. hands and his feet, and de- 
ftred them to hindlehim, in order to con- 
vince themfelves by the united report of 
their different fenfes, that it was^ he him- 
ielf, and no fpe6lre or apparition : Why 
are ye troubled, faid the benevolent Re- 
deemer of mankind, and zchy- do thoughts 
arife in your hearts ? Behold my hands and 
my feet, that it is I myfelf : handle me ^ and 
fee ; for a fpirit hath not flfh and hones ^ as 
ye fe;me hav^, Luke xxiv. 38, 39. 

By thef^ infallible proofs, the difciples 
were fufhcien'ly convinced of the truth of 
their Lords refurre6tion, and they received 
him with rapaire and exaltation : but their 
ioy and wonder had fo great an effect on 
iheir miad^, that fome of them, fenfible 
of the great commotion they were in, fuf- 
pended their belief, till they had confider- 
ed the matter more calmly : Jtsus there- 
ibre, knowing their thoughts, cailed for 



meat, and ate Vv-ith them, in order to prov« 
more fully the truth of his refurreftion from 
the dead, and the reality of his prefence 
vv^ith them at that time. When jEsu^had 
given this further ocular demonllration of 
hh having vanquifhed the power of death, 
and opened the tremendous portals of the 
grave, he again repeated liis falutation, 
Feacebe unto you ; adding, Tlie fame com- 
mifhon that my Father hath given unto 
me, I give unto you : go ye therefore into 
every part of the world, and preach the 
gofpel to all the children of men. Ther\ 
breathing on them, he faid. Receive ye ths 
Holy Ghojt, to direft and afhft you in the 
execution of your commifTion : whofoever 
embraces your do6lrine, and fincerely re- 
pents, ye fhall remit his fins, and your fen- 
tence of abfolution ftiall be ratified and 
confirmed in the courts of heaven : and 
whofoever either obftinately reje61s your 
doftrine, difobeys it, or behaves himfelf 
unworthily after he hath embraced it, his 
fins fliall not be forgiven him ; but the 
cenfure ye fhall pafs upon him on earthy 
fliall be confirmed in heaven to his con- 
demnation. 

At this meeting of the apoftles, Thomas, 
otherwife called Didymus, was abfent ; nor 
did this happen without the fpecial direc- 
tion of Providence, that the particular and 
extraordinary fatisfaflion which vras after- 
wards granted him, might be an abundant 
and undeniable teftimony of the truth of 
our bleffed Saviour's refurreftion, to all 
fucceeding generations. The reft of the 
apoftles therefore told him, that they had 
feen the LGrd> and repeated to him the 
words he had delivered in their hearing: 
but Thomas replied. This event is of fuch 
great importance, that unlefs, to prevent 
all poffibility of deception, I fee him with 
my own eyes, and feel him with my own 
hands, putting my fingers into the print of 
the nails whereby he was faftened to the 
crofs, and thrufting my hand into his fide 
which the foldier pierced with his fpear ; 
I will not believe that he is rifen f rom the 
dead in reality and truth, as ye aftirm. 

We have now enumerated, in the moft 
explicit manner, the tranfa6tions of that 
day on which the great Redeemer of man- 
kind arofe from the dead ; a day highly 
to be remembered by the children of men 
throughout all generations ; a day, in 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



\vliich was fuHy corripleted and dirplayed ; hand, and ihrufl it into my fide, and 
the conjeptions lodged in the brcall of j doubt no longer of the reality of niy re- 
Infiniie Wifdom from all eternity ; even j furredioii from the tomb, 
ihofe liroughts of love and mercy, on j The incredulous difciple immediately 
which the falvaiion of the world depend- • obeyed the kind invitation of his Mailer; 
ed. Chrillians have, therefore, the higiiefl ! and being fully fatiafied according to his 
reafon to lolemnize this day with gladnefs | own defire, he cri .'d out, I am abundantly 
each returning week, by ceafing from their ■■ convinced thou 
labour, and giving up then) lei ves to prayer, i 
jjious mediiaiions, and other exercifes of j 
religion. The redemption of mankind, j 
which they weekly commemorate, affords . 

matter for eternal thought ; it is a fubjcLl: j , , 

impolTible to be equalled, and whofe luilre, jthou hall both feen and felt me, I homas, 
neither length of time, nor frequent re- j thou hall believed that i am really rifen 

Blelfed are they who, 



rt indeed my Lord, the 
very fame that was cruciii: d ; and I ac- 
knov;ledge thy Almighty power, in having 
triumphed over death, and vvorlhip thee as 
niy God and Saviour. 

The bleffed Jesijs replied, B caufc 



6^". — • .requent 

viewmg can either tarnifh or diminifh : it ^ from the dead. ^.^..^^ ci»^ ^.^^j tt.iv^, 
femblesthe fun, which we behold always I without fuch evidence of the fenfes, fhall. 



re 



the fame glorious and luminous objcfft ; | 
for the benefit we celebrate is, after fo ' 
many ages, as frefh and beautiful as ever, 



upon credible teflimony, be v.illing to be- 
lieve and embrace a doftrine, which tends 
fo greatly to the glory of God, and the 



J _Q , O . J t> 

and will always continue the fame, flou- j falvation of mankind, 
rifhing in the memories of all reaf;.nablel The blelTed Jesl's appeared, according 
beings through the endlefs revolutions of I to St. John, on fcxeral other occafions to 
eternity. Redemption is the brighteft mir- 1 his difciples alter his refurreclion ; and by 
ror in which we contemplate the goodnefi i many infallible proofs, not mentioned by 
of the Almighty, other gifts are only mites I the evangeliiis, fully convinced them, that 
from the divine treafury ; but redemption | he was alive after liis paffion : but that 
opens, we had almofl faid, exhaufts all j thofe which are mentioned, are abundantly 
the flores of his grace. May it be con- j fufficient to induce men to believe that 
itantly the favourite fubjedl of our medi-j Jesus was the Son of God, the great MefTi- 
tations, more delightful to our mufingjahfo often foretold by the ancient pro- 
minds than applaufe to the ambitious ear ! i phets ; and that by means of that belief. 



May it be the darling theme of our dif- 
courfes ; fweeter to our tongues than the 
droppings of the honey comb to the tafie ! 
May it be our choicefl comfort, throuc^h 



they may obtain cverlailing life, in the hap- 
py regions of the heavenly Canaan, and 
there adore and praife him forever. 

Jesus having firfl by the angels, and 



all the changes of this mortal life, and ifie afierwards in perfon, ordered his difciples 



reviving cordial, even in the lail extremi- 
ties of diffolution itfelf, and upon the v^rge 
of the grave I 

After our great Redeemer had been 
rifen eight days from the dead, he fhewed 
himfelf again to his difciples while Tho- 
mas was w.th them, and upbraided that 
difciple for his unbelief ; but knowing that 
it did not, like that of the Pharifces, pro- 
ceed from a wickid mind, but from an | nets very early in the morning, and faw 
honeil heart, and a fincere delire of being Jesus ftanding on the fhore, but did not 



to repair lo their refp.ftive habitations in 
Galilee, it is reafonable to think they 
v/ould leave Jerufalem as foon as poffible. 
This they accordingly did, and on their 
arrival at theu* refpeciive places of abode, 
applied th^mfclves to their ufual occupa- 
tions ; and the apoffles returned to their 
old trade of filhing on the lake of Tibe- 
rius. Here they were toiling with their 



addrei'Icd himfelf j then know him to be their Mafle 



doubtinor 



r, as it 



fatisiied of the truth, he 
particularly to this 
Thom^is, faid ht, fince 
contented to lely on the teflimony 
others, but mull be convinced bv 

experience of thy own fenfes, beh >id the ; had caught nothing : he then defired them 
WDimds in my hands, and reach hkhei thy [to let down their nets on the right fide of 



thou 

the 



difciple : j was fomething dark, and thty at a conh- 
wilt not be ; derable diftance from him. He, however, 
ony of: called to them, and alked if they had taken 
by thejanyfilh; to which they anfwered, they 



252 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST, 



the boat, and iliey ffiould not be difap- 
pointed. The dilciplcs imagining that he 
might be acquainted with the places pro- 
per for hilling, did as he had dire8:ed 
them, and enclofed in their net fo vaft a 
multitude of fiOies, that they were not 
able to draw it into the boat, but were for- 
ced to drag it after them in the water to- 
wards the land. 

They had toiled, it feems, all the pre- 
ceding night to no purpofe ; and there- 
fore fuch remarkable fuccefs could not 
fail of caufing various conje6lures amongft 
them, with regard to the ftranger on the 
{hore, who had given them fuch happy 
advice. Some of the difciples declared 
they could not imagine who he was ; but 
others were perfuaded, that this perfon 
was no other than their great and beloved 
Mafter. John was fully convinced of his 
being the Lord, and accordingly told his 
thoughts to Simon Peter ; who making no 
doubt of it, girt on his filher'* coat, and 
leaped into the fea, in order to get afhore 
fooner than the boat could be brought 
to land, dragging after it a net full of 
fuch large fifhcs as were almoft ready to 
link it. 

The difciples when they came afhore, 
found a fire kindled, and on it a fifli broil- 
ing, and near it fome bread : but neither 
bemg fufficient for the company, Jesus 
bid them bring fome of the fifli they had 
now caught, and invited them to eat with 
liim. Thus did the blelfed Jesus prove 
again to his difciples the reality of his 
refurreftion, not only by eating with them, 
but by working a miracle like that which, 
at the beginning of his miniftry, had made 
fuch an imprelTion upon them, as difpoled 
them to be his conitant followers. This 
was the third time that Jesus appeared 
publicly to a great number of his difciples 
m a body, befides his fhewing himfelf to 
particular perfons, upon fpccial occafions, 
and at divers times. 

After they had eaten, Jesus reminded 
Peter how diligent and zealous he ought 
to be, in order to wipe off the ilain of his 
denying him, when he wai carried before 
the high-prieft : Simon, Jon of Jonas, faid 
our bleffed Saviour to him, art thou more 
zealous and affe6lionate in thy love to- 
wards me, than the reft of ray difciples ? 
To which Peter aDfwered, Ymt Lord; thou 



knowejl that I love thee. He was taught 
modefty and diffidence by his late fill ; 
and, therefore, would not compare him- 
felf with others, but humbly appealed to 
his Mafter's omnifcience, for the fincerity 
of his regard to him. Jesus -anfwered. Ex- 
prefsthcn thy love towards me by the care- 
of my flock committed to thy charge : Feed 
viy lambs, feed my Jheep. I well know, 
indeed, continued the bleffed Jesus, that 
thou wilt continue my faithful fhepherd 
even until death : for the time will come, 
when thou, who now girdefl on thy fifher's 
coat voluntarily, and ftretchedft out thy 
hands to come to me, fiialt in thine old 
age be girt by others, and forced to ftretch 
out thy hands againft thy will, in a very 
different manner, for the fake of thy con- 
ftant profeffion of my religion. 

Jesus, by thefe laft words, fignified the 
manner of Peter's death, and that he fhould 
finally fuffer martyrdom for the glory of 
God, and the teflimony of the truth of 
the Chriflian religion, which he had been 
inftrumental in propagating to the world. 

The difciples being now about to meet 
their great Lord and Maffer, according to 
the meffages he had fent them by the wo- 
men, and having in all probability, ap- 
pointed this meeting at fome former ap- 
pearance, not mentioned by the cvangel- 
ifts, the brethren fet out for the mountain 
in Galilee, perhaps that on Vv^hich he was 
transfigured. Here five hundred of them 
were gathered together, waiting the joyful 
fight of their great Maffer, after he had 
triumphed over death and the grave ; fome 
of them not having yet feen iiim after his 
refurreftion 'from the dead. 

The difciples did not v/ait long before 
Jesus appeared, on which they were fei- 
zed with rapture ; and with hearts over- 
flowing with gladnefs, they approached 
their kind, their benevolent Matter, and 
worfhipped him. Some few indeed doubt- 
ed, it being a thing agreeable to nature 
for men to be afraid to believe what they 
vehemently v/ifh, left they fhould indulge 
themfelves in falfe joys, which vanifh like 
a morning cloud. But Jt sus afterwards 
appeared frequently to them, and gave all 
of them fail fatisfaciion, and inftrufted them 
in many things relating to their preach* 
ing thegofpei, eftabiiftiing the church, and 
I fpreading it thrcugh the known world. 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



255 



^ur blessed Saviour, cither at his appear- 
<ance on the mountain, or some subsequent ap- 
•peai-ance, not mentioned by the eyangeUsts, 



probably ordered them to return to Jerusalem, 
as he propo:icd to asecnd visibly into heaven 
from the top of the Mount of Olives. , 



CHAPTER XLin. 

Jesus ascends into Heaven: The principal Arguments of the Deists against our blessed 
Saviour's Resurrection, considered and refuted : Reflections on the Life and Doctrine of our 
Great Redeemer. 



ABOUT twelve days before the feast of 
Pentecost, called in the law the feast of 
tveeks, and nearly forty days after our blessed 
Saviour arose from the dead, the disciples re- 
paired to Jerusalem, probably in conformity to 
^ command g■i^'en them by their great Master 
at one of his appearances ; unless we suppose 
they went up to that city, in order to purify and 
prepai'c themselves for the solemnitj^ now ap- 
proaching. 

However that be, the blessed Jesus made 
his last appearance here to his apostles ; and, 
after instructing them in many particulars con- 
cerning the kingdom of God, and the manner 
they were to behave themselves in propagating 
the doctrine of tiie gospel, he put them in mind 
that, daring his abode with them in Galilee, 
he had often told them, that all thir.gs ^\Titten 
in the lav,", the prophets, and the psalms, con- 
ceming hiKi, A\'ere to be exactly accomplishecl. 
At the same time, he opened their understand- 
ings, that is, he removed their prejudices by 
the operation of his spirit, cleared their doubts, 
improved their memories, strengthened their 
judgments, and enabled them to discern the 
true meaning pf the Scriptures, respecting his 
divine mission. 

Being thus qualified by him for receiving the 
truth, he again assured them that both ?4oses 
and the prophets had foretold diat tlie Messiali 
was to suffer in the very manner he had suf- 
fered, that he was to rise from the dead on the 
third day, as he had done, and that repentance 
and remission of sins ^vas to be preached in the 
Messi-Ji's name amongst all nations, beginning 
with the Jews at Jerusalem. 

After this, he delivered unto them their com- 
mission, to preach the doctrine of rejjentance 
and remission of sins, in his name, ainongst al; 
No. 11. 3 



nations, and to testify unto the world the exact 
accomplishment in him of all things foretold 
concerning the Messiah : and, to enable them 
to perform this important work, promised to 
bestow on them the miraculous gifts of the 
Spirit, M"hich he called the promise of his Fa- 
ther ; because the Almighty had promised them 
by his prophets in the Old Testament. 

Being thus fortified for the important work 
they were going to undertake, he led them on 
to the Mount of Olives, as far as Bethany ; 
\\'here, standing on a hill above the town, he 
told them that he ^^■as now raised to the gov- 
ernment of heav en and earth ; for ^^ilich reason, 
they might go courageously through all the 
world, and preach the gospel to every rational 
creature ; assuring themselves that affairs in all 
countries should be so ordered, as to dispose 
the inhabitants for the reception of the gospel ; 
that they v. ho believed, to be admitted 

into his church b}- the rite of baptism, in the 
nitme of the Father, the Son, and the Hol}- 
Ghost ; and to be taught, in consequence of 
their baptism, to obey all the precepts he had 
. njoined them : That such baptised believeis 
ohould receive the pardon of their sins, together 
with, eternal life in the h:.ppy m.ansions of his 
Father's kingd^i ; but that those who refus- 
ed to embrace the doctrines of the gospel, 
should be for e^'er cxcUided those happy regi- 
ons, and liave their portion in the kike that burn- 
etii v/ith fij-e and brimstone ; tliat ^\ hile they 
were employed in this ^^'ork, he v.ouldbe with 
them to the end of the world, to Guide them bv 
his ccuni;el, to assist thtm by his Spirit, and 
TO protect them by his Providenc^. Firialh", . 
that those v liO should, through tlieir preach- 
ing, be induced to believe, should them.seh-es 
work most astonishirig miracles, by which the 



254 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



gospel should be "propagated with the greatest 
rapidity aaid success. 

After Jesus had spoken these things, he 
lifted up his hands and blessed them ; and in 
the action of blessing them, he was parted from 
tliem in the midst of the day, a shining cloud 
receiving him out of their sight ; that is, this 
brilliant cloud encompassed him about, and 
carried him up to heaven, not suddenly, but at 
leisure, that they might behold him departing, 
and see the proof of his having come down from 
heaven, as he had promised them. 

The blessed Jesus ascended in a cloud 
w^ich was more bright and pure than the clear- 
est lambent flame, being no other than the 
Shechinah, or glory of the Lord, the visible 
symbol of the Divine Presence \a hich had so 
often appeared to the patriarchs of old, which 
filled the temple at its dedication, and which, 
in its greatest splendour, cannot be beheld with 
mortal eyes ; for which reason it is called the 
light inaccessible in Avhich the Almighty re- 
sides, and with avhich he is surrounded. 

It was probably on this occasion tliat our 
Lord's body was changed, acquiring the glories 
of immortality, perhaps in the presence of liis 
disciples, who steadfastly beheld him as he 
mounted from the eaith. And as he ascended, 
the flaming cloud that surrounded him marked 
his passage tlii'ough the air, but gradually lost 
its magnitude in the eyes of those who stood 
below, till at last it vanquished, together with 
their beloved Master, out of their sight ; for 
he was received up where the Divine Being 
manifests himself in a peculiar manner, and 
Was set doAvn on the right hand of the Majesty 
6n high ; all power in heaven and in earth be- 
ing now given him : and this universal govern- 
ment he will hold, till he establishes the do- 
minion of righteousness, when he will deliver 
up the kmgdom to God, even the Father, t/iat 
God may he all in ally 1 Cor. xv. 28. 

Thus did the great Redeemer of mankind 
depart in a most illustrious manner, after hav- 
ing finished the grand work which he left the 
bosom of his Father to execute ; a work which 
God himself, in the remotest eternity, contem- 
plated with pleasure, wliich angels with joy 
descried as to happen, and which, through 
^ eternity to come, shall, at periods the most 



immensely distant from the time of its execu. 
tion, be looked back upon with inexpressible 
delight by every inhabitant of heaven; for 
though the minute aflfairs of time may vanish 
altogether and be lost, when they are removed 
far back by the endless progression of dura- 
tion, this object is such, that no distance, how- 
ever great, can lessen it: the kingdom of hea. 
ven is erected on the incarnation and sufierings 
of the Son of God, the kingdom and city of 
the Almighty comprehending all the virtuous 
beings in the universe, made happy by good- 
ness and love ; and, therefore, none of them 
can ever forget the foundation on which their 
happiness stands estabhshed : the human species 
in particular, recovered by the labour of the 
Son of God, will view their Deliverer, and 
look back on liis stupendous undertaking with 
the highest rapture, while they are feasting 
witliout interruption on its delicious fi-uits: 
the rest of the members likewise of the city of 
God, will contemplate it with perpetual plea- 
sure, as the happy means of recovering their 
kindred that were lost ; and possibly the gi-and 
confirmation of the whole rational system, in 
their subjection to him who reigneth for ever, 
whose favour is better than life itself, and at 
whose right hand there are pleasures for ever- 
more. 

We have now followed our deai- Redeemer 
through all the transactions of his life, and en- 
larged on the stupendous miracle of his re- 
surrection, as the \\hole Cliristian doctrine 
is founded on that glorious event. And it is 
abundantly evident from tliis historj^, that our 
blessed Saviour she^^ ed himself to his dis- 
ciples and fi^iends oni)^, not to the Jews in 
general. This circumstance ^ve Spinoza a 
pretence for raising an objection, which his 
disciples have considered as the strongest ar- 
gument against our Lord's resurrection. "If, 
say they, he really arose from the dead, to have, 
shewed himself to his enemies as well as to his- 
friends, would have put the truth of his resm*- 
rection beyond all doubt, dian which nothing 
could be more necessary to the cause of Chris- 
tianity ; and, therefore, the supposition of his 
havirig confined his appearances, after his re- 
surrection, to a few select friends, renders the 
afiiiir extremely suspicious and unworthy of 
credit," 



AND LIVES OF 

This argumtnt, however plausible it ma}' 
•^pear at first sight, is destitute of the least 
force ; because it may be demonstrated, tliat 
if Jesus had shewed himself to his enemies, 
and to all the people in general, these appear- 
ances, instead of putting the truth of his resur- 
rection beyond all doubt, \'i'ould have weaken- 
ed the evidence of it, at least in after-ages ; 
and, consequentl}-, have been of infinite pre- 
judice to mankind : for, upon the supposition 
that our blessed Saviour had shewed himself 
openly, one of these two tilings must neces- 
sarily hsLve happened ; either his enemies, sub- 
mittmg to the evidence of their senses, ^\'ould 
have believed his resurrection, or, resistmg 
that evidence, they A\ ould reject it altogether. 
We shall begin with taking the latter into con- 
sideration. 

It is ver}' evident, that those enemies of the 
sreat Redeemer of mankind who resisted the 

o 

e\-idence of tlieir senses, or who, though really 
convinced, would not acknowledge theii* con- 
viction, must have justified tlieir disbelief by 
affirming that the person m Iio appeared to them, 
as risen fi-om tlie dead, wns not Jesus "whom 
the Roman go^■ernor had crucified, but an im- 
postor who personated him. On any other 
foundadon their infidelity' v. ould have been ri- 
diculous and absurd ; but, if the unbeliev ing 
Jews, by our Lord's appearing personally to 
them, would hive been laid under a necessit}' 
of denying the reality of his resmTcction, even 
though persuaded of it in their ov.~ii minds, the 
evidence of fact could have gxiined nothing by 
such public appearances ; because the general- 
ity of the Jews v. ere not capable of passing a 
judgment upon die falsehood wliich Christ's 
enemies must have made use of to support 
their denial of his resurrection ; being unac- 
quainted with Jesus, they could not certainly 
teil whether he v\"as reaJly the \'er}- person 
whom the Romans had crucified. His apos- 
tles, disciples, and acquaintances, who, by 
their long attendance on him, kne\\' his stature, 
sh;ipe, air, v oice, and manner, Mere the only 
proper persons by vvhose determination the 
point in dispute could be decided; conse- 
quently, if our Lord had appeared to all the 
people, if any considerable number of his ene- 
mies hid continued in their infidelity-, thr- 
whole stress of the evidence of his resun ectioix 



HIS APOSTLES. 555 

must have rested on the evidence of the very- 
persons \\ ho, according to the plan pitched 
upon by Providence, bear witness to it now, 
and upon whose testimony the M orld has be- 
lieved it : so that, instead of gaining an addK 
tional evidence, by the proposed method of 
shewing Jesus publicly to all the people, we 
should have had nothing to trust to but the 
testimony of his disciples, and tliat clogged 
with this mcumbrance, that his resurrection 
was denied by many to whom he appeared, and 
who wtre not convinced b}' the testimony of 
their senses. 

In the second place, it may be supposed, 
that in case our blessed Saviour had shewed 
liimself publicly, the whole nation of the Jews 
must have believed, and that future generations 
would dius ha-ve had the fullest ev idence of the 
ti-uth of his resurrection, beyond all possibility 
of a doubt. 

However, this will not appear to be the case, 
if we consider, that the greatest part of our 
Lord's enemies, having not given themselves 
the trouble of attending him often, caimot be 
supposed to have been so well acquainted with 
his person as to know him v\"ith ceitainty ; for 
vv hich reason, though he had shewed himself 
to them, even their belief of his resurrection, 
must, in a great measure, have depended on 
the testimony of liis disciples and friends : if 
so, it is not ver}- probable that his appearmg 
publicl}-, vA ould have had an}- great efiect on 
the Jews, to persuade them to embrace a cru- 
cified Messiali. It is far more reasonable to 
believe, that tliey would have rejected the 
whole, and continued in their infideht}-, unless 
a divine power intei-posed, to remove the veil 
fi-om their hearts. 

In order to give the argument all the force 
the Deists can desire, let us further suppose, 
that, in consequence of our blessed Saviour's 
appeal ing to all the people of the Jews, die na- 
tion m o-eneral vv'ould have been convinced of 
the truth of his resuiTCCtion, and become his 
disciplps ; what advantage would the cause of 
Christianit}- have reaped from such effects of 
our Lord's public appearance r \\''ould theevi- 
• lence of his resurrection have beco've thereby 
he more unquestionable i Or would the modem 
;;ifidelsiiave been die better disposed to believe 
.a tliib cr ucint:d Jesus? By no me.ms : for w e 



256 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



do not find that men of this class are at all the 
more read)' to believe the miracles of Moses in 
Egypt, at the Red Sea, and in the Wilderness, 
because the Vvhole nation were witnesses of 
them. The truth is, had our blessed Redeem- 
er persuaded all the people of the Jews, by ap- 
pealing personally to them, the objections 
against his resurrection, would have been ten 
times more numerovis and forcible, than they 
are at present ; for would not the whole have 
been called a state-trick, a Jewish fable, a mere 
political contrivance, to patch up their broken 
credit, after they had so long talked of a Mes- 
siah, who was to come at that time ? Besides, 
Ave should certainly have been told, that the 
government being engaged in the plot, a fraud 
of this kind might have easily been, carried on, 
especially as the people in general would ea- 
gerly fall in with it ; because it was so exactly 
adapted to their prejudices, and because the 
fewvvhohad sagacity enough to detect the fraud, 
could have no opportunity of examining into 
it ; or, if they did examine, and detect the 
fraud, would not have dared to make any dis- 
cover}^ of it, in opposition to the whole weight 
of the state : so that they would let it pass qui- 
etly, without once calling it in question. 

The resurrection of our great Redeemer 
universally belicA^ed amongst the Jews, and 
published to the world by the unanimous voice 
of the nation, Avould, to say the truth, have 
been liable to an infinite number of objections, 
which are all effectually cut off by the method 
made choice of by the wisdom of Providence ; 
for as the people in general, and the rulers in 
particular, continued in their infidelity, the per- 
sons concerned in this supposed fraud, must 
have carried it on under the greatest disadvan- 
tages. The reason is, that instead of making 
many friends to assist them, Avhich a fraud of 
this kind requires, all men were their enemies, 
and interested to disco\^er the cheat. The 
Jewish rulers, in particular, gave all possible 
encouragement to make the strictest scrutiny 
into the fact, and into all its circumstances ; 
and many, doubtless, zealously made the in- 
quiry, with the utmost exactness. The apos- 
tles who preached the resurrection, exposed 
themselves to the fiercest resentment of the men 
in power; because the resurrection of our 
great Redeemer cast the greatest reflection up- 



on those who had put him to death. It should 
also be remembered, that if the generality of 
the nation had not continued in their unbelief 
the apostles who preached the resun-ection, 
would not have suffered these persecutions, 
which in eveiy countiy were raised against 
them, chiefly by the Jews ; and consequently 
one of the strongest arguments for the truth of 
their testimony would have been wanting : 
whereas, by their having been persecuted to 
death for their preaching the resurrection of 
their great Master, they fully demonstrated 
how sincerely they believed the great fact which 
they preached in continual jeopardy of their 
lives, notwithstanding the virulent malice and 
restless persecution of their enemies. 

We have thus endeavoured to ansAver, in 
the plainest and most satisfactory manner, the 
principal objection made by the Deists against 
the truth of our blessed Saviour's resurrection ; 
and shall conclude this chapter with a few re- 
flections on the life of the blessed Jesus; a 
life the gi^eatest and best that was ever led by 
man, or was ever the subject of any history 
since the universe was called from its original 
chaos, by the powerful word of the Almighty, 
which spake it into being. 

As the human character of the blessed Jesus 
results from the accounts given of him by the 
evangelists (for they have not formally drawn 
it up) so it is entirely different from that of all 
other men whatsoever ; for whereas they hare 
selfish passions deeply rooted in their breasts,, 
and are influenced by them in almost every 
thing they do, Jesus was so entirely free from 
them, that the most severe scrutiny cannot 
furnish one single action in the whole course of 
his life, wherein he consulted his own interest on- 
ly ; no, he was influenced by very different mo- 
tives ; the present happiness and eternal wel- 
fare of sinners regulated his conduct ; and 
while others folloM^ed their respective Occupa- 
tions, Jesus had no other business than that of 
promoting tlie happiness of the sons of men t 
nor did he wait till he was solicited to extend 
his benevolent hand to the distressed ; he went 
about doing good, and always accounted it 
more blessed to give than to receive ; resem- 
bling God rather than man, in every act of his 
liie. 



J 



AND LIVES OF 



HIS APOSTLES. 



257 



Persons of the inoHt exalted foculties are apt 
to be elated with success and applause, or de- 
jected by censure and disappointments : but 
the blessed Jesus wsih never elevated by the 
one, nor depressed by the other ; he was ne- 
\-t'r more courageous than w hen he met with 
the greatest opposition and cruel treatment, 
nor more liuni^jlc tlian when the sons of men 
worshipped at his feet. He came into the 
\^'orld inspired with the grandest purpose that 
ever was formed, that of saving from eternal 
perdition, not a single niition, but the whole 
world ; and in the execution of it, went through 
die longest and heaviest train of labours that 
ever was sustained, "with a constancy and re- 
solution, on ^\l"iich no disad\"antageous im- 
pression could be made by any accident Avhat- 
ever: calumny, tlireatenings, bad success, with 
many other evils constantly attending him, 
served only to quicken his endeavours in this 
glorious enterprize, Avhich he unweariedly pur- 
sued, even till he finished it by his death on 
the cross. 

Mankind are prone to retaliate injuries re- 
ceived, and seem to take a satisfaction in com- 
plaining of the cruelties of those who oppress 
them ; Avhereas, the Vv hole of Christ's labours 
breathed nothing but meekness, patience, and 
forgiveness, even to his bitterest enemies, and 
in the midst of the most excruciating torments. 
The words Father, foj'give them, J or they 
knoxv not zohal they do, uttered by Inm when 
his enem.ies w ere nailing him to the cross, fitly 
express the temper which he mairitained through 
die whole course of his life, even when assault- 
ed by the heaviest provocations. The truth 
is, he never signified, on any occasion, the 
least resentment by speech or action, nor in- 
deed any emotion of mind whatever, except 
such as flowed from pity and charity ; conse- 
quently such only as expressed the deepest 
concern for the welfare of mankind, to which 
his glorious life and sufferings effectually open- 
ed the way. 

The greatest and best men have had their 
failings, Mdiich taniish the lustre of their vir- 
tues, and shew them to hcive been nothing more 
than men. This was th;. cnse widi Noah, Abra- 
ham, Moses, Job, David, Paul, and other he- 
roes celebrated iii history ; but it was other- 
wise with Jesus : he was superior to all tlie 
No. 11. 3 



men that ever \\\ed, both ^vith regard to the 
purity of his manners, and the perfection of Ids 
virtues: he was holy, liarmless, undefiied, and 
separated from sinners. Whether we consider 
iiim as a teacher, or as a man, he did no sin, ncllh- 
crivas guile found in his mouth, 1 Pet. ii. 22. 
His whole life was perfectly free from spot or 
weakness, at the same time it \vas remarkable for 
the greatest and most extensi\'e exercises of vii"- 
tue ; but never to have committed the least sin in 
word or in deed, never to have uttered any 
sentimeat that could be censured, upon the 
various topics of religion and morality, which 
were the daily subjects of his discourses, and 
that through the course of a life filled Avith ac 
tion, and led under the observation of man)' 
enemies, who had always access to converse 
with him, and who often came to find fault, is 
a pitch of perfection evidently above the reach 
of human nature ; and, consequently, he who 
possessed it, must have been divine, and a 
most perfect Being. 

This adorable Person is the subject of the 
evangelical histor}% If the reader, by revieA\'- 
ing his life, doctrine, and miracles, as they 
are here represented to him united in one se- 
ries, has a clearer idea of these things dian be- 
fore, or observes a beauty in his actions thus 
linked together, which taken separately do not 
appear so fully ; if he feels liimself touched by 
the character of Jesus in general, or Avith any 
oi his sermons and actions in particular, thus 
simply delineated in wTiting, Avhose principaJ 
charms are the beauties of truth : above all, if 
his dying so generously for men, strikes him 
Avith admiration, or fills him with joy, in the 
prospect of that pardon A\ hich is thereby pur- 
chased for the world ; let him seriously consi- 
der ^^"ith himself, A\'hat improvement he ought 
to make of the di\-ine goodness, aid Avhat re- 
turns of praise and gratitude are due Irom him. 

The Sav iour of mankind, by his death, hath 
set open the gates of immort.ilit}- to all the pos- 
terity of Adam ; and by his word, spirit, and 
example, graciously offers to make tiiem meet 
for the glorious re^^-ards in the kingdom of 
the heavenly Canaan, imd to conduct diem 
into the inheritance of the saints in light : let 
us, tlierefore, remember, tiiat, being born un- 
der tlie dispensation of his gospel, we ha\'e, 
R = 



V 



258 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



from our earliest years, enjoyed the best means 
of acquii-ing w isdom, virme, and happiness, 
tlie Hneaments of the image of God. We 
haA^e been called to aspire after an exiiltation 
to the nature and felicity of the Almighty ex- 
liibited to moilal eyes in the man Christ Jesus, 
to fire us Avith the noblest ambition. His gos- 
pel teaches us, that we are made for eternity ; 
and that our present life is to our future exis- 
tence, as infancy is to manhood : but as in 
the former many things are to be learned, 
many hardships to be endured, many habits 
to be acquired, and that by a tedious course of 
exercises, which in themselves though pain- 
ful, and possibly useless to the child, yet are 
necessary to fit him for the business and enjoy- 



ments of manhood ; so while we remain in this 
infancy of human life, things are to be leanied, 
hardships to be endured, and habits to be ac- 
quired by a laborious course of discipline, 
which however painful must be uridei gone, 
because necessary to fit us for the empioy- 
ments and pleasures of our riper existence in 
the realms above. Enflamed, therefore, -with 
the love of immortality and its joys, let us sub- 
mit ourselves to our heavenly Teacher, and 
learn of him those graces which alone can ren- 
der life pleasant, death desirable, fill eternity 
Avith ecstatic joys, and the tongues and hearts 
of the blessed with a song of triumph in ho- 
nour of their DeliA^erer. 



CHAPTER XLIV. 



Observations on the Doctrine of onr blessed Lord and Saviour ; The excellency oj the Religion 
he enforced and inculcated : And the reasonableness of, and pleasure resulting from, a 
Christian Life. . ; 



WE cannot more properly conclude our 
history of the life of the blessed Je- 
sus, the author and finisher of our faith, nor 
place the great doctrines taught by the benevo- 
lent Son of the Most High, in a more conspi- 
cuous light, than by removing a fcAV preju- 
dices A^dlich some, aac fear too many, have 
formed against the religion of the holy Jesus, 
and shcAV that his yoke is easy, and his bur- 
den is light. 

There have not, perhaps, been greater en- 
emies to the progi'ess of religion, than those 
who delineate it in a gloomy and terrifying 
form ; nor any guilty of a more injurious ca- 
lumny against the gospel, than those Avho re- 
present its precepts as rigorous impositions and 
annecessary restraints. True religion is the 
perfection of human nature, and the founda- 
tion of uniform exalted pleasure, of public or- 
der and private happiness. Christianity is the 
most excellent and the most useful institution. 



havii^g the promise of the life that noAv is, and 
of that which is to come ; it is the voice of 
reason ; it is also t^c language of scripture ; 
the W'ays of wi^^m are zcays of pleasantness, 

and all Iter pdlf^ are peace^ Vvqx. iii. 17 

And cur blessecl SaAdour himself assures us, 
that his precepts are easy, and the burden of 
his religion light and pleasant. 

The religion Avhich Clu-ist came into this 
loAver world to establish, is a rational service, 
a Avorship in spirit and truth ; a Avorship wor- 
thy of the majesty of the Almighty to receiA^e, 
and of the nature of man to pay. One of its 
important branches is natural religion, rein- 
forced by additional motives and ncAv disco- 
veries : its positive rights are fcAv, of plain 
and easy significancy, and manifestly adapted 
to establish a sense of moral obligations. The 
gospel places religion not in abstruse specula- 
tion and metaphysical subtilties ; not in out- 
Avarcl shcAV and tedious ceremony ;. nqt in sy- 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



persthioiis austerities and enthusiastic vision, 
but in purity of heart, and holiness of lite. 
The sum of our duty, accordiiig to our great 
M.ister himself, consists in the luvc of God, 
and of our neighbours according to St. Paul, 
in deiiying ungodliness and ivorldly lusts j and 
in living soberly, righteously, and godly in this 
present ivor'd j accoi dingto St. James, in vis- 
iting tfie Julherless and widows in affliction, 
and in keeping ourselves unspotted from the 
world. This is the constant strain and tenor 
of the gospel ; this it inculcates most earnestly, 
and on this it lays the greatest stress, as most 
conducive to true and substantial happiness. 

If it be asked, ^\^hether the Christian system 
is only a republication of the law of nature, 
or merely a refined system of Morality ? We 
reply, No certainly ; it is a gi'eat deal more. 
It is an act of grace, a stupendous plan of Pro- 
vidence, designed for the recovery of mankind 
from a state of degradation and ruin, to the fa- 
vour of the Almighty, and to the hopes of a 
happy immortality through a Mediator. Un- 
der this dispensation, true religion consists in 
a repentance to^vards God, and in faith in the 
Lord Jesus Christ, as the person appointed 
by the supreme authority of heaven and earth, 
to reconcile apostate man to his offended Crea- 
tor, as a sacrifice for sin ; our vital head, and 
governing Lord. This is the religion of Chris- 
tians ; and v/hat hardship, w lrciX exaction is 
there in all this ? Surely none : nay, the prac- 
tice of religion is much easier than the ser^'i- 
tude of sin, which at best is the vilest drudg- 
ery, and yields the v.'orst kind of wages. 

All will readily agree, that our rational po^v- 
•€rs are impaired, and the soul weakened hy 
sin ; the animal passions are strong, and apt 
•to oppose the dictates of reason ; objects of 

• sense make po-^A'erful impressions on the mind ; 
Ave are, in every situation, surrounded with 

• many snares and temptations : in such a dis- 

■ ordered state of things, to mamtain a course of 
strict piety and uncorrupted virtue, is a work 

■ of great difficulty. There are, howe\'er, many 
tender propensions and generous instincts in- 

'terwoven with our very being, as restraints 
from vice, and incitements to virtue. The 

.gracious author of nature has planted in the hu- 

; man breast, a quick sense of good and ; 

- faculty which strongly dictates right and 



wrong ; and though, by the strengUi of appe- 
tite, and warmth of passion, men are often hur- 
ried into immoral practices ; yet in the begin- 
ning, especially when there has ijeen the advan- 
tage of a good education, it is usually with rc- 
iuctance and opposition of mind. What in- 
ward struggles precede, what bitter pangs at- 
tend their sinful excesses ! What guilty blush- 
es and uneasy fears ! What frightful prospects 
and pale reviews ! " Terrors arc upon them, 
and a fire not blown consumeth them." To 
make a mock at sin, and to commit iniquit}- 
without remorse, is an attainment that requires 
length of time, and much painful labour ; more 
labour than is requisite to attain that habitual 
goodness which is the glory of the man, the or- 
nament of the chi^istian, his preparation for 
heaven, and tlic chief source of his happiness 
there. The soul can no more be reconciled 
to flagrant acts of Avickedness and injustice, than 
the body to excess, without sufP^ring many 
bitter pains and cruel attacks, attacks attended 
with much anguish and vexation of spirit. 

Conscience maj- indeed be stopped and put 
to silence for a while, by false principles ; its 
secret w hispers may be dro\Mied by the noise 
of compan}', and stifled by entertainments of 
se- 3e ; but this principle of conscience is so 
deeply rooted in human nature, and, at the samt: 
time, her -v^oice is so clear and strong, that all the 
sinner's aits will be unable to lull her into a last- 
ing security, \^'hen the hour of calamit}- ar- 
lives, ^vhen sickness sei^ieth, and death ap- 
proacheth the sinner, conscience constrains 
fiim to listen to her accusations, and will not 
suffer the temples of his head to take any rest : 
There is no peace to the wicked j the foundations 
oi peace are subverted, tliey ai'e at utter enmity 
with their reason, with their conscience, and 
with the God of their mercies. 

The case is far other^vise A^. ith true religion ; 
conscience is on her side ; reason pleads for 
her, and interest joins in the recommendation. 
When religion pure and gcnuiiie forms the 
temper, and governs the life, conscience ap- 
plauds, and peace takes lier residence in the 
breast : the soul is in its proper state, there i§ 
order and regularity both in the faculties and 
actions. Conscious of its own intcgi'ity, and 
secure of the divine approbation, the soul en- 
joys a calmness not to be described : birt why 



26a 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



do I call this happy frame calmness only ? It 
is far more than mere calmness : tlie air may 
be calm, and the da}' overcast with thick mists 
and dark clouds : the pious and virtuous mind 
resembles a serene day, enlightened and enli- 
vened with the brightest rays of the sun ; 
though all without may be clouds and dr.rk- 
ness, diere is light in the heart of a pious man ; 
he is satisfied fi-om himself, and is filled with 
peace and joy in believing ; in the concluding 
scene, the awful moment of dissolution, all is 
peaceful and serene. The immortal part quits 
its tenement of clay with the well-grounded 
hopes of ascendmg to happiness and glory, 
without mixture, and without end. 

The gospel enjoins no duty but what is fit 
and reasonable : it calls upon all its profes- 
sors to practise reverence, submission, and 
gratitude to God ; justice, truth, and univer- 
sal benevolence to men ; and to maintain the 
government of our ovrn minds ; and what has 
any one to object against this ? From the least to 
the greatest commandment of our dear Redeem - 
er, there is not one which impartial reason can 
find fault with ; his law is perfect ; his pre- 
cepts are true, and righteous altogether. Not 
even those excepted, \^ hich require us to love 
our enemies, to deny ourselves, and to take 
up our cross. To forgive an injury is more 
generous and manly than to revenge it ; to 
control a licentious appetite than to indulge 
it ; to suffer poverty, reproach, and even 
death itself, in the sacred cause of truth and 
integrity, is much vtdser and better, than, by 
base compliances, to make shipwTeck of faith 
and a ' good conscience. Thus in a storm at 
sea, or a conflagration on the land, a man with 
pleasure abandons his lumber to secure his 
jewels : piety and virtue are the wisest and 
most reasonable things in the world ; vice and 
wickedness the most irrational, absurd, and 
pernicious. 

The infinitely wise Author of our being hath 
so framed our natures, and placed us in such 
relations, that there is nothing vicious but 
.. what is injurious ; nodiing virtuous but what 
is advantageous to our present interest, both 
with respect to body and mind. Meekness 
^nd humility, patience and universal charity, 
are graces which give a joy unknown to trans- 
§p:essors. The divine virtues of truth and 



equity, are the only bands of friendsliip, the 
only supports of society. Temperance and 
sobriety are the best preservatives of health 
and strength ; but sin and debauchery impair 
the body, consume the substance, reduce to 
poverty, and form the direct path to an imma- 
tui'c and untimely death. Now this is the 
chief excellency of all laws ; and wliat will al- 
ways render their burden pleasant and delight- 
ful is, that they enjoin nothing unbecoming 
or injurious ; but, on the contrary, what is 
profitable, and of a salutary nature. 

Besides, to render our duty easy, we have 
the example, as well as the commands of the 

blessed Jesus The masters of morality 

amongst the heathens gave excellent rules for 
the regulation of men's manners ; but they 
wanted either the honesty or the courage to 
try their own arguments upon themselves. It 
was a strong presumption that the yoke of the 
Scribes and Pharisees was grievous, when 
they laid heavy burdens upon men's shoulders, 
which they themselves refused to touch with 
one of their fingers. Not thus our great law- 
giver, Jesus Christ the righteous ; his beha- 
viour was, in all respects, conformable to his 
doctrine ; his devotion towards God, how su- 
blime and ardent ! benevolence to^vards men, 
how great and diffusive ! He was in his life an 
exact pattern of innocence ; for he did no sin ^ 
nei flier was guile found in his mouih. In the 
Son of God incarnate is exhibited the bright- 
est, the fairest resemblance of the Father, that 
earth or heaven ever beheld ; an example pe- 
culiai-ly persuasive, calculated to inspire reso- 
lution, and to animate us to use our utmost en- 
deavours to imitate the divine pattern, the ex- 
ample of the author and finisher of our faith, 
of him who loved us, and gave himself for us. 
Our profession and character as Christians ob- 
lige us to make this example the model of our 
lives. Every motive of decency, gratitude, 
and interest, constrain us to tread the paths he 
trod before us, more especially, v/hen we reflect 
that it was marked out to us by Unerring 
Wisdom. 

Let us also remember that our burden is 
easy ; because God, who knoweth whereof we 
ai e made, \\ ho considereth that we are but dust, 
is ever reac^}' to assist us. The heathen sages 
tli.cniseives, had some notions of this assistance* 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



26) 



though giudecl oviiy by a grimmering lamp of 
reason ; but what they looked upon as prob- 
able, the gosjK-l clearly and strongly asserts. 
We therclbrc lieru' the apostle exhorting, Lei 
us come bodilj/ unto the throne of grace, that zve 
may obtain mercy, and Jind grace to help in 
time of need, Heb. \v. 16. We there hear the 
blessed Jesus himself arguing in this convinc- 
ing manner, If ye, being evil, know ho^iTto give 
good gifts 7into your children, how much more 
shall your Jieavcrhj Father give the Holy Spirit 
to them that ask him ? Luke xi. 13. 

We would not here be understood to mean, 
tliat the agency of the spirit is irresistible, and 
lays a necessitating bias on all the faculties and 
affections. ^Vere this the case, precepts and 
prohibitions, promises and threatenings, would 
signify nothing ; and duty and obligation ^^ ould 
be ^\"ords without a meaning. The spirit as- 
sisteth in a mannc agi-eeable to the frame of 
human nature ; not controlling the free use of 
reason, but by assisting the understanding, in- 
fluencing the wdll, and moderating the aifec- 
tions : but though we may not be able to ex- 
plain the mode of his operations, the Scriptures 
warrant us to assert, that, "when men ai-e reneA\'- 
ed and prepared for heaven, it is through sanc- 
tification of the spirit, and belief of the truth. 
Ho^.v enlivening the thought ! Ko^ 



mg tne motive 



encourag- 
We ai'e not left to struggle 



alone aatlIi the difficulties vv'hich attend the prac- 
tice of ■s'irtue in the present imperfect state 

The merciful Father of our spirits is e\ er near 
to help our infirmities, to enlighten the under- 
standing, to strengthen good resolutions, and, 
in concurrence ^^"ith our own endeavours, to 
make us conquerors over all opposition. Faith- 
ful is he to his promises, and will not sufler the 
sincere and well disposed to be tempted above 
>vhat they are able to beai\ What can be de- 
sired more than this ? To promote the v irtue 
and happiness of his moral offspring, the Su- 
preme Pai-ent hath done all that is consistent 
with the holiness of his nature, and the free 
agency of man : if then ai'c not virtuous and 
happy, it is our ov.-n faults, and we ai-e utterly 
inexcusable, in refusing the gi-ace and mercy 
proffered in the gospel. 

Let us also remember, that the gYcat dcc- 
tiine of the gospel concerning the propitious 
mercy of God, to all penitents through Christ 
No. 11. ,38 



Jesus, gi-eatly contributes to the ease iind plea- 
sure of a religious life. Lc t it be granted, that 
the hope of pardon is essential to the religion 
of fallen creatures, and one of its first princi j)les ; 
}'ct, considering the doubts and suspiciojis 
which are apt to arise in a mind conscious of 
guilt, it is undoubtedly a gi-eat, an inestimable 
favour to be relieved in this respect b}- a mes- 
senger from omnipotence himself. This is out- 
happiness : we are not left to depend upon con- 
sequential reasonings, a\ hich the bulk of man- 
kind are little used to ; but we are assured, that, 
upon our true repentance, w a shall, through 
the mediation of Christ, receive the full re- 
mission of past sins, and be restored to the same 
state and favour with our Maker, as if \\ e had 
never transgressed his laws : here the gospel 
triumphs ; with these assurances it abounds ; 
upon tliis head tlie declarations of our blessed 
Saviour and his apostles are so express and full, 
that every one vv ho believes them, and knows 
himself to be a true penitent, must banish ev- 
ery doubt and fear, and rejoice with joy un- 
speakable : Come unto me, all ye that labour 
and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest, 
Mat. xi. 28. All manner of sin and blasphe- 
my shall be forgiven unto men, ch. xii. 31.... 
Be it knotvn unto you, men and brethren, that 
through this man is preached unto you the for- 
giveness of sins ; and by him all that believe are 
justified from all things, from ivhich ye could 
not be justified by the law of A oses. Acts xiii. 
38, 39. The blood ot Jesus cleujiseth from all 
sin, John i. 7. What grace and favour is this ! 
W^ho can dwell upon the transporting theme too 
long } Now our u-ay is plain before us, and the 
burden m c are to bear is made easy. No sins 
ai'C unpardonable, if repented of and forsaken : 
for it is said, such shiill find mercy. 

You who have never yet regarded religion, 
but pursued a course of \ ice and sensualit}- all 
your lives long, are earnest!}- entreated to con- 
sider, that, tliough your conduct has been base 
to die last degree, your case is not desperate, 
fiU' from it : the God \\ hom }-ou ha\'e so higlily 
offended, commiserates your errors, is e\"er 
ready to extend his piirdoning mcrc}- to liis most 
degenerate creatures, upon their repentance and 
reformation, and, is in Christ Jesus reconciling 
the world unto himself, ?iot imputing unto pen- 
itent sinners their trespasses ^ 2 Cor. v. 19.... 



262 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



Let the xvkked therefore, /or^a^e his way, and 
the unrighteous man his thoughts ; and let him 
return unto the Lord, who \\\[\ so hberally ex- 
tend his mercy to him ; and to our God, who 
^\'illthus ahundantly pardon, Isaiah Iv. 7. 

What still further conduces to render the 
Christian religion easy and delightful, is its 
leading us to the perfect, eternal life of heaven. 
It cannot be denied but that wt may clraw from 
the light of nature, strong presumptions of a 
future state ; the present existence does not 
look like an entire scene, but rather like the 
infancy of human nature, which is capable of 
arriving at a much higher degree of maturity : 
but whatever solid foundation the doctrine of 
a future state may have in nature and reason, 
certain it is, that through the habitual neglect 
of reflection, and the force of irregulai' passions, 
this doctrine was, before the coming of our 
blessed Saviour, very much disfigured, and in 
a great measure, lost amongst the sons of men, 
some of -whom affirmed, that there %vas neither 
resurrection, angel, or spirit. 

A future state of rev/ards and punishments 
was a matter of mere speculation and uncertain- 
ty in the heathen world ; it was sometimes hop- 
ed for, sometimes doubted of, and sometimes 
absolutely denied. The law of Moses, though 
of divine original, is chiefly enforced by pro- 
mises of temporal blessings ; and, even in the 
writings of the prophets, a future immoitiility 
Is ^'cry sparingly mentioned, and obscurely re- 
presented : but the doctrine of our Saviour hat h 
brought life and immortality to light. In the 
gospel we have a distinct account of another 
world, attended with many engaging circum- 
stances, about \^'hich the decisions of reason 
were dark and confused. We have the testi- 
mony of the author of our religion, who ■was 
raised from the dead, and who afterwai'ds, in 
the presence of his disciples, ascended into 
heaven. In the New Testament, it is ex- 
pressly declai-ed, that good men, ivhen absent 
from the body, are present zoifh the Lord.... 
Here we iire assured of the resurrection of the 
body, in a glorious form, cloathed with immor- 
tal vigour, suited to the active nature of the 
animating spirit, and assisting its most enlarged 
operations and incessant progress towards per- 
fection. Here we are assured, that the righte- 
ous shall go into life everlastings tliat they 



shall enter into the kingdom of the heavenly 
Canaan, where no ignorance shall cloud the 
understanding, no vice disturb the will. In 
these regions of perfection, nothing but love 
shall possess the sou; ; nothing but gratitude 
employ the tongue : there the righteous shall 
be united to an innumerable company of angels^ 
and to the general assembly and church oj the 
Jirst born : there they shall see their exaited 
Redeemer at the right hand of Omnipotence, 
and sit down with him on his thi'one : there 
they shall be admitted into the immediate pre- 
sence of the Supreme Fountain of life and hap- 
piness, and, beholding his face, be changed i 

into the same image, from gloiy to glory 

Here language.... here imagination fails me! 
It requires the genius, the kno-wledge, and the 
pen of an angel, to paint the happiness, the 
blissful scene of the new Jerusalem, which hu- 
man eyes cannot behold till this mortal body 
shall be purified from its corruption, and dress- 
ed in the robes of immortality : Eye hath jwt 
seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into 
the Heart, to conceive the joys zvhich Godhath 
prepared for thtm that love hnn.... What is the 
Elysium of the Heathens, compai-ed with the \ 
hea^'en of the Christians ? The hope, the pros- 
pect of this, is sufficient to reconcile us to all 
the difficulties that may attend our progress, 
s^'i eeten all our labours, alleviate tvery grief, ■ 
and silence every murmur, by impressing on 
our minds a meek acquiescence with the divine 
dispensations in the course of his providence. 

But the libertine, in the gaiety of his heail:, 
may possibly inquire, ^vhy there should be 
any difficulties, or restraint at all ? God hath 
made nothing in vain. The appetites he hath 
planted in the human breast are to be grati- 
fied : to deny, or to resti-ain them, is igno- 
minious bondage ; but to give full scope to 
every desire and passion of the heait, \v ithout 
check or control, is true manly ireedom, and 
only pursuing the dictiites of nature. 

In order to confute and expose this loose 
and careless way of reasoning, let it be consi- 
dered, that the liberty oi a rational creature 
doth not corisist in an entire exemption from 
all control, but in following the dictates of rea^ 
son as the governing principle, and in keeping 
the various passions in due subordination. To 
ioilow the regular motion of those afiections 



AND LIVES OF 

which the wise Creator hath implanted within 
us, 16 our duty : but as our natural desires in 
this sute ot trial ai e often irreguhu-, we are 
bound to restrcun their excesses, and not to 
indulge them, but in a strict subserviency to 
the iniegricy and peace of our minds, and to 
the order and hcippiness of humim society esta- 
blished in the world. They who allow the su- 
preme comnicmd to be usurped by sense and 
brutal appetite, may promise themselves li- 
berty, b ut ai^e truly and absolutely the ser- 
vants of corruption : to be vicious is to be en- 
slaved. We behold with pity those misera- 
ble objects that are chained in the gallies, or 
confined in dark prisons and loathsome dun- 
geons : but much more abject and vile is the 
slavery of the sinner ! No slaverj' of the body 
is equal to the bondage of the mind : no chains 
press so clcsel}', or g-all so cruelly as the fet- 
ters of sin, which corrode the very substance 
of the soul, fret every faculty, and degrade 
men below the brute pai't of die creation. 

We must indeed confess, that there are 
some profligates so hai'dened by custom, as to 
be past all feeiiag ; and, because insensible of 
their bondage, boast of this insensibilit}- as a 
mark of their native freedom, and of their 
happiness. Vain men ! they might extol, with 
equal propriet)^ the peculiar happiness of an 
apoplexy, the profound tranquillity of a lethar- 
g)-, or, we may add, the ideal paradise of a fool 
or a madman. 

We have, in the foregoing observations, en- 
deavoured to place in a plain and conspicuous 
light, some of the peculiai- excellencies of the 
Christian religion ; and from heiice many use- 
ful reflections will naUirally ai-ise- in the mind 
of every attenti^'e reader. It is the religion of 
Jesus diat hath removed idolatry and supersti- 
tion, and brought immortality to light when 
concealed under a veil of diu-kness almost im- 
penetrable. This hath set the gi-eat truths of 
religion in a clear andconspicuouspoint ol view, 
and proposed new and poivenui motives to in- 
fluence our minds, and to determine our conduct. 

Nothing is enjoined to be believed, but whut 
IS wor thy of God ; nothing to be pivictlsed but 
what is friendly to man. Ail the doctrines oi 
the gospel cire ratioiiid and consistent ; all its 
precepts are truh- wise, just, and good. The 
gospel contiiins nothing grievous to un inge- 




HIS APOSTLES. 2G3 

nious mind ; it debars us from nothing but do- 
ing harm to ourselves or to our fellow-crea- 
tures ; and permits us to range any where but 
in the paths oi danger and destruction. It only 
requires us to act up to the dignity of the ration- 
al nature, and to prefer to tne vanishing plea- 
sures of sin, the smiles of a reconciled God, and 
an eternal weight of glory : and is this a ri,^or- 
ous exaction, a heavy burden not to be endur- 
ed ? How can sinful mortals Iwbour a tiiought 
so ridiculous and unworthy ? 

Can any man who is a real friend to the cause 
of virtue and to the interest of mankind, ever be 
an enemy to Christianity, if he truly understands 
it, and seriously reflects on its wise and useful 
tendency ? Impossible, for it conducteth us to 
our journey's end by the plainest and securest 
path, where the steps are not straightened, and 
where he that runneth stumbleth not. Let us 
who li'^^e under this last and most gracious dis- 
pensation of God, to mankind, counf all things 
but loss for the excellency of the knoiclalge of 
Lhrist Jesus our Lord: andnot suffer ourselves, 
by the slight ca\'iis oi' unbelievers, to be moved 
a\\-ay from the hope of the gospel. Let us de- 
monsti^ate, that we believe the superior excel- 
lenc}' of the Christian dispensation, by con- 
forming to its precepts. Let us shew that vv'e 
are Chi'istians, in deed and in truth ; not b}" 
endless disputes about trifles, and the transports 
of a blind zeal, but by practising that universal, 
tiiat exalted goodness, our hoi}' religion recom- 
mends, and by abounding in those fruits of 
righteousness wtiicli are bjj Jesus Christ, unto 
/h( glory and praise v/ God, Fiiil. i. 11. 

Vv^e may clear i}- percen t, from what has 
been said, how groundless all those prejudices 
are which some conceive against religion, as if 
it was a peevish, morose scheme, burdensome 
to humannatui-e, and inconsistent witli theti'ue 
enjoyment of life. Such sentiments are too 
apt to prevail in the heat o"t youth, Vv hen the 
spirits are brisk ^md lively, and the passions 
Warm and impetuous ; but it is wholly a mistake, 
and a mistake oi die most dangerous tendency. 
The ti'uth is, there is no pleasure like that of 
a good conscience, no real peace but ^\•hat re- 
sults from the practice oi virtue ; dii-j enr.obles 
die mind, and can tilone support it under aJ the 
various and unequal scenes oi the present stiite 
of trial ; this lays a sure foundation of an easy. 



264 LIFE OF m 

comfortable life, of a serene, peaceful death, 
and of eternal joy and happiness hereafter : 
^vhereas vice is ruinous to all our most valuable 
interests ; it spoils the native beauty, and sub- 
\'erts the order of the soul ; it renders us the 
scorn of man, the rejected of God, and, w^ithout 
timely repentance, will rob us of a happy eter- 
nity. Religion is the health, the liberty, and 
the happiness of the soul : sin is the disease, 
the servitude, and destruction of it, both here 
and for ever. 

If these arguments be not sufficient to con- 
vince you, let me lead you into the chamber of 
an habitual rioter, the lewd debauchee, worn 
out in the cause of iniquity, his bones full of 
the sins of his youth, that from his own mouth, 
as he lies on his expiring bed, you may learn 
that the way of transgression is hard : and that 
however sweet sin may be in the commission, 
it biteth Like a serpent, and siingeth like an ad- 
der, Prov. xxiii. 32. This awful truth is ex- 
emplified in a very strong point of view, by the 
late celebrated Dr. Young, Centaur not 
Fabulous, page 149 — 161, where he draws a 
most awful picture of the last scene of an aban- 
doned profligate, who had despised religion, 
and lead a life of pleasure and dissipation. The 
relation is as foUovvs : 

*' I am going, Reader, to represent to thee 
the last moments of a person of high birth and 
spirit, of great parts and strong passions, every 
way accomplished, nor the least in iniquity : 
his unkind treatment was the death of a most 
amiable wife, and his monstrous extravagance, 
in effect, disinherited his only child. And 
surely the death bed of a profligate is next in 
horror to that abyss to which it leads ; it has 
the most of hell that is visible upon earth, and 
he that has seen it has more than faith to con- 
firm him in his creed. I see it now says the 
worthy divine from whom I shall borrow this 
relation, for who can forget it ? Are there in it 
no flames and furies ? You are ignorant then, 
of what a sacred imagination can figure, what a 
guilty heart can feel ! How dismal is it ! The 
two great enemies of soul and body, sickness 
and sin sink and confound his fi'iends ; silence 
and darkness the shocking scene : sickness ex- 
cludes the light of heaven, and sin its blessed 
hope. Oh, double darkness ! more than Egj'^p- 
tian ! acutely to be felt ! 



SU3 CHRIST 

The sad evening before the death of that 
noble youth, ^vhose last hours suggested these 
thoughts, I was witii him. No one was there 
but his physician, and an intimate acquaintance 
whom he lo%-ed, and v/hom he had ruined. At 
my coming he said, " You and the physician 
" are come too late..,. I have neither life noi- 
hope. You both aim at miracles. You 
" would raise the dead." 

" Heaven I said vv-as merciful." ' 

" Or I could not have been thus guilty i 
" What has it not done to bless, and to save 
" me ? I have been too strong for Omnipo- 
" tence: I plucked do\\Ti ruin." 

" I said the blessed Redeemer." 

" Hold ! Hold ! you wound me ! — That is 
" the rock on Avhich I have split ! I denied his 
" name." 

" Refusing to hear any thing from me, or 
take any thing from the physician, he lay silent, 
as far as sudden darts of pain would permit, 
till the clock struck ; then he cried out with 
vehemence, *' Oh time ! time! It is fit thou 
" shouldst thus strike thy murderer to the 
" heart.... Hovv^ art thou fled for ever ? A 

" month ! Oh, for a single week ! I ask 

" not for years, though an age were too little 

for the much I have to do." 

' ' On my saying we could not do too much ; 
that heaven was a blessed place.... 
' ' So much the worse. 'Tis lost ! 'Tis lost ! . . . . 
" Heaven is to me the severest part of hell !" 

" Soon after, I proposed prayer...." Pray, 
" you that can : I never prayed : I cannot 
" pray.... Nor need I. Heaven is on my side 
" already : it closes with my conscience, its 
" severest strokes but second my own." 

" His friend being much touched, even to 
" tears at this (for v. ho could forbear ? I could 
" not) he, with a most afiectionate look, said, 
" Keep these tears for thyself. I have undone 

" thee Dost thou weep for me ? That's 

" cruel. What can pain me more ?" 

" Here his friend, too much affected, would 
" have left him. 

" No, stay. Thou still mayst hope 
" therefore hear me. How madly have I talk- 
" ed? How madly hast thou listened and belie v- 
' ' en? But look on my present state as a full 
" answer to thee and to myself. This body is 
" all weakness and pain ; but my soul, as if 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



265 



stung up by toiTiaeiit, to greater strength and 
spirit, is full powerful to reason ; full migh- 
" ty tosufier. And thatv. hich thus triumphs 
" within the j.ws of mortality, is doubtless 
*' imnioital. And as for a Deity, nothing less 
" than an Almighty could inflict the pains I 
" feel." 

" I was about to congratulate this passive, 
involuntary confession, in his asserting the two 
prime articles of his creed, extorted by the rack 
of nature : when he thus verj- passionately ad- 
ded, " No, no ! let me speak on.... I have not 
' ' long to speak My much injured friend I 

my soul, as my body, lies in ruins, in scat- 
" tered fi-agments of broken thought : remorse 

for the past tlirovv-s my thoughts on the fu- 
*• ture ; worse dread of the future strikes it 
" back on ihc past. I turn, and turn, and find 

" no ray Didst thou feel half the mountain 

" that is on me, thou wouldst struggle with 

the mart}T for his sake, and bless heaven for 
*' the flames ; that is not an everlasting flame ; 

that is not an unquenchable fire." 

" How \A"ere we f.track ? Yet, soon after, 
still more. With v.-hat an eye of distraction, 
what a face of despair he cried out, " My priii- 
" ciples have poisoned my friend ; m}" extra- 

vagance has beggared my boy ; m\" unkind- 

ness has murdered my wife I And is there 

anothier heil r Oh ! thou blasphemed, yet 
" most indulgent Lord God I Hell itself is a 

•' refuge if it hides me fi-om diy fi-ov."n." 

Soon after, his understanding failed ; Ills 
"'.rriSed imagination uttered horrors not to 
je repeated, or ever forgotten ; and before the 
^im (wliich I hope has seen few like him) ai^ose, 
trds gay, young, noble, ingenious, accomplish- 
\-d, and miost ^\Tetched mortal, expired." 

It sometimes happens, we confess, tliat men 
".vho have led veiy Vvicked li"<. es, have gone out 
of the ^\ orld, as they li-ved in it, defying con- 
science, and deriding a future judgment as an 
idle fiction : but these instances are %"e!y rare, 
and onl\" pro^ e that there are monsters lii the 
moral as well as in the natural T^-orld, ■who hive 
sported Avith their omu decei\ings, and v. ho 
have even dared to lift their puny and rebellious 
arm against Omnipotence. 

But it will perhaps be said, that the sons of 
vice and riot ha\"e pleasure in sensuni indul- 
gences. AUov.'cd : but it is altogether of the 
No. 11. 3 



lower kind, empty, fleeting, and transient ; like 
the crackling of thonis under a pot, so is th< 
mirth of the wicked. It makes a noise and a 
blaze for the present ; but soon vanishes a« u} 
into smoke and \ apour. On the other hand, 
the plciisure of rehgion is solid and lasting, and 
w ill attend us through all, even the last stages 
of life. When we have passed the levity of 
youdi, and ha^'e lost our rehsh for the gay en- 
tertainments of sense ; when old age steals up- 
on us, and bends us tOM ai^ds the graA C, this 
Vv ill cleave fast to us, and give us relief. It 
will be so far from tcrminatuig at death, that it 
then commences perfect, and continually im- 
proA'Cs with new additions, and ever bloomiiig 

If our souls are clad in this immortal robe, 
we need not feai- the a\\'ful summons of the 
king of teiTors, r.or regi-et our retiring into tlie 
chambers of the dust. Our immortal part v. iil 
'>ving its way to the arm s of its omnipotent Re- 
deemer, and find rest in the heavenly mansions 
of the Almight}". And though our earthly part, 
tliis tabernacle of clay, return to its origi'.ial dust, 
it is only to be mised in a more l^eautif'al and 
heavenly fonii. If it retires into the sliadow 
of death, and visits the gloomy habitations of 
the g^a^■e, it is onh' to return from a short con- 
finement, to endless libeny : for our gi^eat Mas- 
ter Vi ill lead his redeemed from the chambers 
of the grave, and guide diem in his strength to 
his hoi}" habitation : he v>-ill plant them in the 
mountain of his inheritance, in the place he 
hath prepai'ed for them, even the sanctuary 
which his hands liath established ; and we shall 
be with the Lord for ever and ever, to serve 
him day and night in liis temple, where the in- 
■ habitant shall never say, I am sick ; v."here tlie 
j wicked shall cease firom troubling, and •where 
! the A^-eaj-}" soul "will be for ever at rest. 

We shall here subjoin a copy of a letter sent 
by Publius Lentulus, governor of Judea, to the 
Senate of Rome, respecting the person and ac- 
tions of our blessed Lord and Saviour, Jesus 
Christ ; which may ser^e as a su-ong testi- 
mony and e\ idence in fiiA our of the di\ init\' of 
our Lord's person and doctrines, against the 
stale objections of the Deists, as the authenti- 
cit}- of the ancient manuscripts, from v.diich it 
was translated, is founded on the best author- 
iy. Tiberius Ccssai* was then Emperor, and 

t" 



0 



266 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



caused the extraordinaiy intelligence contained 
in tliis letter, to be published throughout all . he 
Roman provinces. One would have though 
this confirmation, issued by the Roman gover- 
nor, might have convinced the generality of tht 
Romans, as well as Jews, concerning the divin- 
ity of our Lord's mission ; but such was the 
universal prejudice of the people, that nothing 
would satisfy those who had not given credit 
to tlie words of Christ himself. The epistle 
rvms as follows : 

" There appeared in these our days, a man 
" of great virtue, named Jesus Christ, who 
" is yet living amongst us, and of the Gentiles 
" is accepted as a Prophet of Truth, but by his 
" own disciples called the Son of God. He 

raiseth the dead, and cureth all manner of 
" diseases. A niiin of stature somewhat tall, 
" and comely, with a very reverend counte- 
" nance, such as the beholders may both love 

and fear : his hair is of the colour of a filbert 

full ripe, and plain almost down to his ears, 
" but from his ears downward, somewhat curl- 



ed, more orient of colour, and waving about 
his shoulders. In the midst ot his head go- 
eth a seam or partition of his hair, after tne 
manner of the Nazarites ; his lorehead very 
plain and smooth ; his face without spot or 
winkle, beautified with comely red; his 
nose and mouth so formed as nothing can be 
reprehended ; his beard somewhat thick, 
agreeable in colour to the hair of his head, 
not of any great length, but forked in the 
midst ; of an innocent, mature look ; his eyes 
grey, clear, and quick. In reproving he is 
terrible ; in admonishing, courteous and fair 
spoken ; pleasant in speech, mixed with gra- 
vity. It cannot be remembered that any 
have seen him. laugh, but many have seen 
him weep. In proportion of body, well 
shaped and straight; his hands and arms 
right delectable to behold ; in speaking, very 
temperate, modest, and wise. A man for 
singular beauty, surpassing the children of 
men." 



THE 

NEW, COMPLETE, AND AUTHENTIC LIVES 

OF THE 



APOSTLES, 

EVANGELISTS, DISCIPLES, &c. 

OF 

OUR BLESSED LORD AND SAVIOUR. 



THE LIFE OF ST. MATTHEW, 

THE EVANGELIST AND APOSTLE. 



THIS evangelist was also called Levi ; 
and, though a Roman officer, was a 
true Hebrew, and probably a Galilean. Kirs- 
ten, an Arabian author, tells us, that he ^vas 
bom at Nazareth, a city in the tribe of Zebu- 
lun, famous for the habitation of Joseph and 
Mar}-, and the place A\ here our blessed Sa- 
viour resided the whole time of liis pri-vate life. 
St. Matthew was the son of Alpheus and ]VIary. 
sister, or kinswoman, to the blessed Virgin, 
both originally descended from the tribe of 
Issachar. 

The occupation of Matthew M'as that of a 
publican, or tax-gatherer to the Romans, an 
office detested by the generalitA- of the Jews.... 
Amongst the Romans indeed, it was account- 
ed a place of power and credit, and, as such, 
rarely conferred on any but Roman knights : 
and T. Fl. Sabimus, fiither of the Emperor of 
Vespasian, was the publican of the Asian pro- 
vinces, an office which he discharged so greatly 
to the satisfaction of the public, that tliey erect- 
ed statutes to him. These officers being sent 
into the Provinces to gather tlie tributes, gene- 
rally employed the natives under them, as per- 



sons best skilled in the afiairs and customs of 
their own countr}'. 

On two accounts, this office Avas odious to 
the Jews.... First, because the persons who 
managed it, were generally co^'etous, and great 
exactors ; for having themselves farmed the 
customs of the Romans, they used every me- 
thod of oppression, in order to pay their rents 
to the Romans, and procure an acU antage to 
themselves. Of this Zaccheus, the chief of 
these farmers, M as "v en- sensible after his con- 
version, when he oflered to make a fourfold 
restitution to all from whom he had taken any 
thing by fraud and extortion. And upon this 
account, they became infamous, even amongst 
the Gentiles themselves, who commonly men- 
tion them as public robbers, and, though mem- 
bers of the community, Avere more % oracious 
and desUuctive in a city, tlian Aviid beasts in a 
forest. The other particuiiir which rendered 
them so hateful to the Je^^ s, was, the tiibute 
tliey demanded, v. hich they considered cot on- 
ly as a burden, but also as an affront to their 
nation ; for they looked upon themselves as a 
free people, having received that pri\iiege im- 



268 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



mediately from God himself ; and therefore, 
tliey considered this tribute as a daily and stand- 
ing instance of their slavery, Avliich they de- 
tested above every thing ; and it was this that 
betrayed them into so many rebellions against 
the Romans, We may add, that these publi- 
cans were obliged by their office to have fre- 
quent dealings and conversation with the Gen- 
tiles, with the Jews considered as an abomina- 
tion ; and though they were themselves Jews, 
they rigorously exacted the taxes of their breth- 
ren, and thereby seemed to conspire with the 
Romans to entail pei-petual slavery on their own 
countrymen. 

The publicans, by these practices, became 
universal!}^ abhorred by the Jewish nation, so that 
it -^vas reckoned unlawful to assist them in the 
common offices of humanity ; nay, they assert- 
ed it was no crime to cheat and over- reach a 
publican, though they broke the solemnity of 
an oath : they might not eat or drink, converse 
or travel with them ; they were considered as 
common thieves and robbers, and the money re- 
ceived of them was not permitted to be depos- 
ited with others, considering it as gained by ra- 
pine and violence ; they were not admitted to 
give testimony in any court of justice ; they 
M^ere looked upon in so infamous a light, tha* 
they were not only banished from all commu- 
nion in matters of divine worship, but shunned 
in all affairs of civil society and commerce, as 
the pests of their countr)'^, as persons whose 
conversation Avas infectious, and not at all bet- 
ter than the Heathei.s themselves. And hence 
they had a common proverb amongst them, 
*' Take not a -wife out of that family in Avhich 
there is a publican ; for they are all publicans !" 
that is, they are all thieves, robbers, and wicked 
sinners. And to this proverbial custom our 
blessed Saviour alludes, when speaking of ahar- 
dened sinner, on whom neither private reproofs, 
nor the public censures and admonitions of the 
church, can prevail, Lei him be to thee as an 
heathen man and a publican ; or, in other words, 
an incorrigible sinner. 

St. Matthew the evangelist was of this pro- 
fession, and he seems to have been more par- 
ticularly employed in collecting the customs 
on commodities that came by sea into Galilee, 
and the tribute which passengers were to pay 
who went by water : and for tliis purpose the 



office or custom-house stood by the sea side, 
that the officers might be always at hand : and 
here it was, as St, Mark intimates, that Mat- 
thew sat at the receipt of custom, where the 
tribute-mone}^ M'as collected. 

After having cured a person long afflicted 
with the palsy, our blessed Lord retired out of 
Capernium, to walk by the sea-side, Avhere he 
taught the people that shocked after him. Here 
he saw Matthew sitting in his office, and Called 
him to follow him. The man was rich, had a 
large and profitable employment, was a wise 
and prudent person, and doubtless understood 
what it would cost him to comply with the call 
of Jesus : he was not ignorant that he must 
exchange wealth for poverty, a custom-house 
for a prison, rich and powerful masters, for a 
naked and despised Saviour : but he overlook- 
ed all these considerations, left all his interest 
and relations, to become our Lord's disciple, 
and to embrace a more spiritual way of com- 
merce and traffick, winch might bring glory to 
God, and peace of conscience to himself 

It is not likely that he was before Vv holly un- 
acquainted with our Saviour's person or doc- 
trine, especially as he desided at Capernium, 
where our Lord so often preached, and wrought 
his miracles ; so that he must, in some meas- 
ure, be prepared to receive tlie impressions 
which our Saviour's call made upon him : and 
to shew that he \^ as not discontented at his 
change, he entertained both his Master and his 
disciples at his house, calling together his 
friends, especially those of his own profession, 
hoping, no doubt, that they might also be con- 
verted by the company and conversation of our 
blessed Redeemer. 

As the Pharisees had sought all opportuni- 
ties of raising objections against the doctrine of 
the blessed Jesus, so they took this opportu- 
nity of suggesting to his disciples, that it was 
highly unbecoming so pure and holy a person, 
as their Master pretended himself to be, to con- 
verse so familiarly with the worst of men, with 
publicans and sinners, persons infamous to a 
proverb : but he presently replied to them, 
that these were the sick, and therefore needed 
the physician ; that his company W2is of most 
consequence, where the souls of men most re- 
quired it ; that God himself preferred works of 
mercy and charity, especially in doing good to 
\h. i souis of men, infinitely above all ritual ol?v 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



sfcrvanccs j and that the principle design of his 
coming into the v. orkl, '.vas not to ciill the right- 
eous, or those v\ ho like themselves a ainly pre- 
tended to be so, but sinners, modest, humble, 
self-conv inced sinners, to repentance, and to 
reduce them to a better state and course of life 
than they had hitherto pursued. 

St. Muttlievv after his election to the apos- 
tleship, continued with the rest till the ascen- 
sion of his great and l^eloved Master ; after 
which, for the first eight years at least, he 
preached in diflorent parts of Judea ; but after- 
wards he left the countr}" of Palestine to con- 
vert the Gentile v'. orld. Before his departure, 
he M'as enti-eated by the Jewish con^-erts to Avrite 
the history of the life and actions of the blessed 
Jesus, and leave it amongst them as a standing 
monument of Avhat he had so often delivered to 
them in his sermons. This he readily compli- 
ed with, as we shall more particularly mention, 
in giv ing an account of the gospel penned by 
him. 

Leaving Judea, he travelled into several parts, 
especially Etliiopia ; but the particular places 
he V isitecl are not knovA n M ith. any certaintA". 
Metaphrastus tells us, that he first visited Piir- 
thia, and after planting Christianit}- in those 
parts, he travelled into Ethiopia ; where, by liis 
preaching and mu'acles, he triumphed over 
superstition and idolatry, convinced multitudes 
of the error of their vvavs, and prevailed On them 
to obey the precepts of the gospel ; ordained 
them spiritual guides and pastors to confirm 
them in the faith, and bring over others to tlie 
religion of the Son of God, which he h:\d in- 
culcated both by his doctrme and example. 

Having laboured indefatigably in the vine- 
vai'd of his Master, he afterwaixls suffered 
martv rdom at a city of Etliiopia, called Nad- 
dabar ; but by what kind of deatli, is not abso- 
lutely known, though the general opinion is, 
that he was slain with an halbert. 

This apostle was a remai-kable instance cf 
the power of religion, in bringing men to a 
better temper of mind. If we reflect upon his 
cu-cumstances while he continued a stranger to 
the great Redeemer of mankind, we sh-all find 
tliat the love of the world had possessed his 
heart. He had acquired a plentiful estate. a\ as 
in possession of a verj- rich and profitable ofnce, 
supported by the povv er and favour of the Ro- 
No. 12. 



manSj prompted by covetous inclinatiorjs, and 
thescconfiiTnedby longhabitsandcustoms : ljut 
notwithstanding all this, no sooner did Christ 
call him, than he abandoned, v\ ithout tlie least 
scruple or hesitation, all his riches ; nay, he not 
only renounced his lucrative office, but ran the 
greatest hazsard of displeasing the m^isters v\ ho 
employed him, for (juittlng their service, with- 
out giving them the least notice, and leavmg his 
accounts in confusion. 

Had our blessed Sav iour appeiu-ed as a se- 
cular prince, clothed w ith temporal po\\ er and 
author itv, it v\ ould have been no v\ onder for 
St. Matthew to have gone over to his service : 
but when he api:>eared under all the circum- 
stances of meanness and disgrace, vhen he 
seems to promise his followers nothing but 
misery and sufferings in this life, and to pro- 
pose no other rev\ ards than the invisible en- 
couragements of another world, his change ap- 
pears truly wonderful and surprising. It was 
indeed so remarkable, that both Porphvry and 
Julian, two subtle adversaries of the Cliiistian 
religion, took occasion from hence to charge 
him either with falsehood or foil} : with tlie 
former, if he did not give a ti'ue account of 
things ; and with the latter, if his case was 
fairly represented, in so hastily follov\'ing the 
person who called him ; but these detractors 
v\'ould have done v\"eli to have remembered, 
that the holy Jesus was no common person ; 
his commands v\ ere attended v\ ith something 
more than common. 

St. Jerom is of opinion, that besides the di- 
vinity w hich evidently appeared intlie miracles 
of the Lamb of God, there was a div ine bright- 
ness and kind of majesty in his looks, which 
was at first si^^ht sufiicient to dj'aw persons af- 
ter him : but however that be, his miraculous 
pov\ ers that reflected a lusti-e from every quar- 
ter, and the efficacy of his docti me accompa- 
nied with the divine gTace, made way for die 
summons sent to our apostle, and enabled him 
to conquer all oppositions, and all the difficul- 
ties that opposed his obeying the commands of 
his Savioiu", vv hen he received tlie powerful 
call. 

A still further evidence of his contempt of 
he vv orld, appeared in his exemplaiy temper- 
.aice and abstemiousness from all delights and 
pleasures : nay, e\ en from the ordinaiy conve- 
U 



270 LIFE OF JE 

niences and accommodations of it : he was so 
fai- from iuduiging his appetite with delicate 
I'arities, that he rei'used to gratify it with lawful 
and ordinary provisions ; his usual diet being 
ovAx herbs, roots, seeds and berries ; but 
what appeai'ed most remarkable in him, and 
^vhich, though the least virtue in itself, is the 
greatest in the esteem and value of a wise man, 
was his humility ; he was mean and modest in 
his own opinion, ahvays preferring others to 
himself ; for ^^'hereas the other evangelists, in 
describing the apostles by pairs, constantly 
place him before St. Thomas, he modestly 
places him before himself. 

The rest of the evangelists ai'e careful to 
mention the honour of his apostleship, but 
speak of his former sordid, dishonest, and dis- 
graceful course of life, only under the name of 
Levi ; while he himself sets it down, Vvith all 
its circumstances, under his ovm proper and 
common name ; a conduct which at once com- 
mends the prudence and candour of the apostle, 
and suggests to us this useful reflection. That 
tlie greatest sinners are not excluded from di- 
vine grace ; nor can any, if penitent, have just 
reason to despair, v/hen publicans and sinners 
find mercy at the throne of grace. The con- 
duct of the other evangelists ^vith regaid to St. 
Matthe^^', shovild also teach us to use a penitent 
brother with the greatest modesty and tender- 
ness ; it being contrary to the rules of civility, 
as '^veil as the lavvs of religion, to upbraid and 
reproach a person, after his repentance, with 
the errors of his former life and practices. 

We shall conclude the life of this apostle 
■with a remark concerning his gospel, v»diich 
was VvTitten at the entreaty of the Jewish con- 
verts, while he abode in Palestine, but at what 
particular time, is uncertain ; some ^vill have it 
to be \A^ritten eight, some fifteen, and some thir- 
ty yeai's after our Lord's ascension : it v/as ori- 
ginally v.Titten in Hebre^\', but soon after trans- 
lated into Greek by one of the disciples, prob- 
ably by St. James the Less ; but v> hoever the 
translator was, is of no consequence, because 
the version was well known to the apostles, and 
approved by them ; and accordingly tlie church 



;US CHRIST 

has, from the earliest ages, received the Greek 
copy as authentic, and placed it in the sacred 
canon of scripture. 

The. Greek translation having been enter- 
tained, the Hebrew copy was afterwards chief- 
ly owned and used by the Nazasri, a middle 
sect between Jews and Christians ; with the 
former, they adhered to the rites and ceremo- 
nies of the Mosaic law ; and with the latter, 
they believed in Christ, and embraced his 
religion ; and hence this gospel has been styl- 
ed, " the gospel according to the Hebrews, 
and the gospel of the Nazarenes." But after 
a time, it was interpolated by these Christians, 
who mserted several passages of the evangeli- 
cal history ; which they had heard from the 
apostles, or from those who had familiarly con- 
versed v/ith them ; ' and to these additions the 
ancient fathers frequently refer in their "s^Titings. 
The Ebonites, on the contrary, struck out ma- 
ny passages, because they were not favourable 
to their tenets. A Hebrew copy of St. Mat- 
thew's gospel (but whether exactly the same 
as that MTitten by the apostle, is uncertain) was 
found amongst the other books, in the treasu- 
ry of the Jews at Tiberias, by one Joseph, a 
Jew, who, after his conversion, was a man of 
great honour and esteem in the reign of Con- 
stantine. St. Jerom assures us, that another 
was kept in the library at Csesaiua in his time, 
and another by the Nazarenes at Berea, from 
whom he procured the liberty to transcribe it, 
and which he afterwards translated both into 
Greek and Latin, Vvdth this remarkable obser- 
vation, that in quoting the text of the Old Tes- 
tament, the evangelist immediately follovvs the 
Hebrew, Vv ithouttalving notice of the Septuagint 
translation. A copy of this gospel wa.s also 
dug up in the year 485, on opening the grave 
of St. Barnabas in Cyprus, transcribed with 
his own hand ; but these copies have long 
since perished ; and Vvdth regard to those pub- 
lished since by Tile and Munster, the bai'ba* 
rous and corrupt style sufiiciently demonstrate 
that they were not originals, but the translation 
oi a more ignonmt and corrupt age, and there- 
fore deservedly rejected by the more judicious 
and enlightened part of mankind. 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



'27i 



THE LIFE OF ST. MARK 

THE EVANGELIST AND APOSTLE. 



THOUGH the name of St. Mark seems to 
be of Roman original, he was neverthe- 
less descended from Je^vish pai'ents, and of the 
tribe of Levi : nor was it uncommon amongst 
tlie Jews to change their names, on some re- 
markable revolution or incident of life, or when 
they intended to travel into any of the Roman 
provinces in Europe. 

St. Mai'k was generally considered by the 
ancients, as one of the seventy disciples ; and 
Epiphanius expressly tells us, that ' ' he was 
one of those who, taking exception at our 
Lord's discourse, of eating his flesh and drink- 
ing Ms blood, went back and walked no more 
with him." But there appears no manner of 
foundation for these opinions, nor for that ol 
Nicephorus, who will have him to be the son 
of St. Peter's sister : nay, Pepias, bishop of 
Hierapolis, m ho lived near the apostolic times, 
positively affirms, that he was neither a hearer 
nor folloA\'er of our S-n iour. It is therefore 
most probable, that he ^\•as converted by some 
of the apostles, perhaps by St. Peter, ^A hom he 
constantly attended in his travels, supplying the 
place of an amanuensis and interpreter : for 
though the apostles ^vere di^dnely inspired, and 
ha_d amongst other miraculous powers, the 
gift of tongues confen-ed upon them, yet the 
interpretation of tongues was a gift more pecu- 
liar to some than to others ; and this probably 
was Si. Mark's talent, in expounding St. Pe- 
ter's discourses, -w hether by Vv ord or Avriting, 
to those who were strangers to the language in 
Vv'hich they were delivered : but ho^vever this 
be, he accompanied him in liis apostolical pro- 
gress, preached the gospel in Italy and at Rome, 
where, at the request of the Chi'istians of those 
parts, he compoticd and wrote the gospel, 
which is called alter his name. 

We are told by Euscbius, that St. Mai-k 
was sent into Egypt by St, Peter, to preach 



the gospel, and accordingly planted a church 
in Alexandria, the metropolis of it ; and his 
success was so verj- remarkable, that he con- 
verted multitudes both of men and women, per- 
suading them not only to embrace the Chris- 
tiim religion, but also a life of more than ordi- 
muy strictness. That there wsls indeed a sect 
in Eg}'pt, remarkably strict in their discipline, 
is evident from Philo, who gi\ es the following 
account of them. 

" There is, says he, a sort of persons in many 
parts of the \\ orld, especially near the Mm-oeo- 
tick lake in Eg}'pt, who have formed themselves 
into religious societies, and lead a strict philo- 
sophical and contemplative course of life.... 
When they first enter on this manner of li\ ing, 
they renounce all seculai- interests and employ- 
ments, and leaving their estates to their rela- 
tions, retire into gaixlens, and places devoted to 
solitude and contemplation. Their houses, or 
colleges, are not contiguous, that, being free 
from noise and tumult, they might the better 
attend to the designs of a contemplative life j 
nor yet removed at too great a distance, that 
they may maintain mutual society, and be con- 
veniently capable of helping and assisting one 
smother. In each of these houses is an oratory, 
Cciiled Semnion and Monasterion, in \\ hich they 
'.iischarged the more secret and solemn rites of 
their religion, divided in the middle by apai ti^ 
tion-wall, three or four cubits high, one apart- 
ment being for the men, and the other for tlie 
Avomen. Here they publicly meet every sca-- 
enth da}-, where, being seated according to 
their seniority, and having composed tliemselves 
with gTcat decency and reverence, the most 
aged person amongst them, and the best skilled 
in the doginata and principles oi tlieir institu- 
tion, comes foith into the midst, gi\.vtiy and 
soberly discoursing on \\'hat may make tlie 
greatest impression in their minds ; the rest at> 



272 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



tending with the most profound silence, and 
only testifying their assent with the motion of 
their eyes or head. Their discourses are com- 
monly mystical and allegorical, seeking hidden 
senses under plain ^vwds ; and of such an al- 
legorical philosophy, the books of their religion, 
left tliem by their ancestors, consist : the law 
they compai-e to an animal, the letters of it re- 
sembling the body, while the soul of it lies in 
these abstruse ajid recondite notions, which the 
external veil and surface of the Avords conceal 
from common understandings. 

" With regard to their method of living, 
they take very little care of their bodies, spend- 
ing their whole time in perfecting their minds 
by precepts of wisdom and religion ; the day 
they wholly spend in pious and divine medita- 
tions, in reading and expounding the law and the 
prophets, and the holy volumes of the ancient 
founders of their sect, and in singing psalms to 
the honour of their Maker ; absolutely temperate 
and abstemious, neither eating nor drinking till 
night, the only time they think proper to re- 
fresh and regard the body ; and some of them 
out of an insatiable desire of grooving in know- 
ledge and virtue , fast many days together. Their 
diet is plain and simple, sufficient only to satisfy 
the calls of nature, a little bread, salt, and wa- 
ter, being their constant bill of fare. Their 
cloaths are as mean as their food, designed only 
as present security against cold and nakedness. 
Nor is this the case only of the men, but also 
of the pious and devout \A^omen that live amongst 
them ; M ho religiousl}^ observe every seventh 
day, and especially the preparatory week to the 
great solemnity, which they keep with all ex- 
pressions of sincere devotion, and also with se- 
vere abstinence." 

Eusebius affirms, that these excellent per^ 
sons were Christians, converted and brought 
under such admirable rules and institutions by 
St. Mark at his coming hither, accommoda- 
ting all passages to the manner and discipline 
of the Christians ; and is followed by Epiph- 
anius, Jerom, and others. But whoever seri- 
ously and impartially considers Philo's account, 
will plainly find, that he intends it of the JeWs, 
and professoi's of the Mosaic religion, though 
what paiticular sect they Were, t shall not pre- 
tend to determine ; perhaps they were Esscnes : 
hut hov/ever tliat be, it is plain they Were, not 



Christians ; for Philo speaks of them as an in- 
stitution of some standing ; whereas, the Chris- 
tians had but very lately appeared in the world, 
especially in Egypt : besides, many pai-ts of 
Pliilo's account does not in several parts agree . 
with the state and manners of the Christians at 
that time ; as that they withdrew themselves 
from public conversation j and all the affairs of 
ci^'il life, Avhich the Christians never did, but 
when forced to it by violent persecutions ; for 
at other times, as Justine Martyr and Tertullian 
tell us, they mixed themselves promiscuously 
A^'ith the inhabitants of the country, dwelt in 
towns and cities, ploughed their lands, and fol- 
loAA'ed their respective trades and callings like 
other men. Nor can the books which Philo 
tells us they had, besides those of Moses and 
the prophets^ be understood of those of the 
Christians ; for the writings of the evangelists 
had been very lately published, and consequent- 
ly could not come under the character of an- 
cient autliors. Not to mention that some of 
their ceremonies were such as the Christians 
of those days were absolute strangers to, not 
being introduced into the church till several 
years, and some of them not till some ages af- 
ter Philo wrote his account : nay, some of them 
were never used by the primitive Christian Sj 
especially their religious dances, which Philo 
paii;icularly describes, as Used by them at their 
festival solemnities, especially that remarkable 
one which they observed at the end of every 
seven weeks ; when their entertainment being 
ended, they all rose up, the men in one com* 
pany, and the women in another, dancing with 
various measures and motions, each company 
singing divine hymns and songs, and having a 
precentor going before each division, singing 
alternately, till, in the conclusion, they joined 
in one common chorus, in imitation of the tri- 
umphant song sung b}' Moses and the Israe- 
lites, after their great deliverance at the Red 
Sea, from the hostile attempts of Pharo and his 
army. 

From these, and several other particulars that 
might be mentioned, it will appear, that these 
could not be Christians : it is not indeed 
to be doubted, but that persons educated un- 
der such excellent rules and methods of life^ 
were more than ordinarily prepared for the re- 
ception of Chi-istianity, and could not fail of 



AND LIVES, OF 

rendering St. Mark's success surprising in 
those pails, and open a path for men to come in 
multitudes to embrace the docti*incs of the gos- 
pel of Jesus Ckiiist. 

This apostle did not conftne himself to Alex- 
andria, and the orientiil parts of Egypt, but re- 
moved westwards to Lybia, passing through 
the countries of Marmaixia, Pentapolis, and 
others adjacent, A\'here, though the people \\ cre 
both barbarous in their manners and idolatrous 
in their worship, yet b}^ his preaching and mir- 
acles, he prevailed on them to embrace the ten- 
ets of the gospel ; nor did he lea^■e them till 
he had confirmed them in tlie faith of his di- 
vine Master. 

He returned, after his long tour, to Alex- 
andi'ia, where he preached M'ith the greatest 
freedom, ordered and disposed of the aftairs of 
the church, and wisely provided for a succes- 
sion, by constituting governors and pastors of 
it. But tlie restless enemy of the souls of men 
would not suffer our apostle to continue in peace 
and quietness : for while he was assiduousl}' 
labouring in the '\ ine3 ard of his master, the 
idolatrous inhabitants about the time of Easter, 
when diey \\-ere celebrating the solemnities of 
Serapis, tumultuously entered the church, forc- 
ed St. Mark, then performing divine service, 
from thence, and binding his feet M ith cords, 
dragged him through the streets, and o\'er the 
most craggy places to the Bucelus, a precipice 
near the sea, leaving him there in a lonesome 
prison for that night ; but his great and belov- 
ed iMaster appeai'ed.. to him in a vision, comfort- 
ing and encouraging his soul, under the ruins 
of his shattered body. The next morning eai*- 
ly tiie tragedy began afresh, dragging him about 
in the same cruel and barbai'ous manner, till he 
expired : but their malice did not end \sith his 
death, they burnt his mangled body, after they 
had so inhumanly deprived it of life: but the chris- 
tians, after the hellish ti-agedy was over, gath- 
ei'ed up his bones and ashes, and decently in- 
terred them near the place where he used to 
preach. His remains were after wai'ds, Vv ith 



HIS APOSTLES. 273 

great pomp, rcmo\ ed from Alexandria to Ve. 
nice, where they ai e religiously honoured, and 
he adopted as the titular saint and patron of 
that state and people. He suftered maitj rdom 
on the 25th of April, but the \ ciu- is not abso- 
lutely known ; the most probable opinion how- 
ever is, that it happened about the end of Ne- 
ro's reign. 

As to his person, St. Mark was of a middle 
size and stature, his nose long, his eye-brows 
turning back, his eyes graceful and amiable, 
his head bald, his beard diick and gray, his 
gait quick, and the constitution of his body 
strong and healthful. 

The only ^^Titing he left behind him, ^vas 
his gospel, A\Titten, as we have before observ- 
ed, at the enti-eaty and eai^nest desire of the 
converts at Rome, who not content to ha\'e 
heard St. Peter preach, pressed St. Mark his 
disciple, to commit to \n-iting an historical ac- 
count of what he had delivered to them, ^^■hich 
he performed with equal faithfulness and bre- 
xity, and bemg perused and approved b}- St. 
Peter, was commanded to be publicly read in 
their assemblies. It was frequently styled St. 
Peter's gospel, not because he dictated it to 
St. Mai-k, but because the latter composed it 
from the accounts St. Peter usually deh^•ered 
in his discourses to the people : and this is 
•jrobably the reason of ^vhat St. Chrysostom 
observes, that in his style aiid manner of ex- 
pression, he delights to imitate St. Peter, re- 
presenting a great deal in a few ■\\ ords. The 
remarkable impartiality he observed in all his 
relations, is plain from hence, that he is so far 
from conce^iling the shameful lapse and denial 
of Peter, his dear tutor and master, that he 
describes it -with more aggravating circum- 
stances than am' of the other e\-anp-elists. The 
Venetians pretend to have tlie original Greek 
cop}' of St. Mark's gospel, written Avith his 
ov. n hand : but tliis manuscript, if ^\Titten by 
St. ]Mai"k, is now useless, tlie very letters be- 
ing rendered illegible, by length of tim.e. 



NO. 12. 3 W 



274 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 

ST- LUKE, THE EVANGELIST 



ST. LUKE M^as born at Antioch, the me- 
ti opoiis ol Syria, a city celebrated for the 
pleasantness of its situation, the fertility of its 
soil, the riches of its commerce, the wisdom of 
its senate, and the civility and politeness of its 
inhabitants, by the pens of some of the great- 
est orators of those times. It was eminent for 
schools of learning, which produced the most 
renowned masters in the arts and sciences ; so 
that being born, as it were, in the lap of the 
muses, he could not well fail of acquiring an 
ingenious and liberal education : but he was 
not contented with the learning of his own 
country, he travelled for impro^-ement into 
several parts of Greece and Eg} pt, and became 
particularly skilled in physic, which he made 
his profession. 

They who ^vould, from this particular, infer 
the quality of his birth and fortune, seem to 
forget that the healing art was, in these early 
times, generally practised by servants ; and 
hence Grotius is of opinion, that St. Luke was 
carried to Rome, and lived there a servant to 
some noble family, in quality of physician : 
but after obtaining his freedom, he returned 
into his own country, and probably continued 
his profession till his death, it being so highly 
consistent with, and in many cases subservient 
to, the care of souls. He is also famous for 
his skill in another art, namely, painting, and 
an ancient inscription was found in a vault near 
the church of St. Maria de Via Lata, at Rome, 
supposed to have been the place v/here St. 
Paul dwelt, A\-hich mentions a picture of the 
blessed Virgin, UnaexvII. abLucade- 
picTis, being one of the seven painted by St. 
Luke, 

It is not certainly knouii when St. Luke became 
a Christian , after having been a Jewish proselyte : 
those who understand him in the beginning of 
his gospel, to say that he had the facts from the 
reports of others, w ho were eye w itnesses, sup- 
pose him to have been converted by St. Paul, 
and that he learned the history of his gospel 



from the conversation of that apostle, and wrote 
it under his direction ; and that wheii St. Paul 
in one of his epistles, says, according to my gos- 
pel, he means this oi St. Luke, which he styles 
his, from the great share he had in its compo- 
sition. 

I'hey, on the other hand, who hold that he 
Avrote his gospel from his own personal know"- 
ledge, observe, that he could not receive it from 
St. Paul, as an eye witness of the matters con- 
tained in it, because all those matters were 
transacted before his conversion ; and that he 
never saw our Lord, before he appeared to hijn 
in his journey to Damascus, which was some 
time after he ascended into heaven. Conse- 
quently when St. Paul says, according to my 
gospel, he means no more than that gospel in 
general which he preached ; the whole preach- 
ing of the apostles being styled the gospel, all 
having an uniform tendency to inculcate and 
establish the faith and practice of the Christian 
religion. 

But they further observe, that it is not pro- 
bable that St. Luke was converted by St. Paul, 
because the latter would, in that case have styl- 
ed him his son, it being the constant practice 
of the apostles to call all eminent converts by 
that appellation ; but he mentions him by the 
name of Luke, the beloved physician. They 
therefore suppose, that he studied the law in 
one of the schools of Jerusalem, w here he was 
converted by our Lord, and was one of tlie se- 
venty disciples mentioned in scripture. 

However this be, St. Luke became the in- 
sepai-able companion of St. Paul, in all his tra- 
vels, and his constant fellow-labourer in the 
work of the ministry : he followed him in all 
his dangers, wos, with him at his several ar- 
raignmeiits at Jerusalem , accompanied him in 
his tedious and dangerous voyage to Rome, 
Avhere he still attended on him, to administer 
to him in his necessities, and supply those min- 
isterial offices, which the apostle's confinement 
would not suffer him to undertake ; and espe- 



AND LIVES OF 

cially, in cai'rying messages to other churches, 
where he had planted the Christian religion.... 
This infinitely endeared him to St. Paul, who 
seemed delighted with owning him for his fel- 
low labourer, and in calling him the beloved 
p/ii/sician, and the brollier ivhose praise is in 
the gospel^ 2 Cor. viii. 18. 

It IS very probable he did not leave St. Paul, 
till he had finished his course, and received the 
crown of Martyrdom ; though some tell us, 
that he left St. Paul at Rome, and returned 
back into the East, travelling into Egypt and 
several parts of Lib}-a, where he preached the 
gospel, \\TOught miracles, converted multi- 
tudes, and constituted guides and ministers 
of religion ; nay, that he himself undertook the 
episcopal chai-ge of the city of Thebais. Epi- 
phanius tells us, that he first preached in Dela- 
matia and Galatia, then in Italy and Macedonia, 
where he spared no pains, and declined no dan^ 
gers, that he might faithfully discharge the trust 
committed to him by his great Master. 

The time or manner of his death are not very 
well agreed upon by the ancients ; some affirm- 
ing him to die in Egypt, others in Greece, the 
Roman JMartyrology in Bythinia, and Doro- 
tliseus at Ephesus ; some will have that he died 
a natural, and others a violent deach. Indeed, 
neither Eusebius nor St. Jerom take any no- 
tice of it, but Gregory Nazianzen, Paulinus, 
bishop of Nola, and several others, expressl}- 
assert, that he suffered martyrdom ; and Nice- 
phorus gives us this particulai' account of it : 
" That coming into Greece, he successfully 
preached the gospel, and baptised many con- 
verts into the Christian faith, till at last, a party 
of infidels opposed his doctrines : but, being 
unable to silence him by reason and argument, 
they had recourse to crueltj^, dragged him 
from the place A\iiere he \\ as teaching the gos- 
pel, and hung him on an olive tree, in the eigli- 
tieth, or, according to St. Jerom, in the eightj-- 
fourtli year of his age. ' ' Kirstenius thinks, he 
suifered maitjTdom at Rome soon after St. 
Paul's first imprisonment, because he did not 
continue his acts of die apostles any further, 
w hich it is naturid to think he would done, 
had he lived any considerable time after St. 
Puui's depiuture. His body was after wai'ds, 
by the commuiid of Constiuitme, or his son 
CoastcUitius, removed with gi'cat solemnity, to 
Constantmopie, and buried in the great church, 



HIS APOSTLES. 276 

erected to the memory ofthcapostieSjinthatcity. 

His gospel, and the acts of the apostles, were 
written by him for the use of the church ; both 
which he dedicated to Theophilus, which ma- 
ny of the itncients suppose to be a feigned name, 
denoting a lover of God, a title common to all 
sincere Christians : but others think it was a 
real person, because the title of " most excel- 
lent" is attributed to him, the usual title and 
form of addi ess in tliose times, to princes luul 
great men. Probably he wins some magistrate, 
whom St. Luke had converted and baptized, 
and to whom he dedicated these books, not 
only as a testimony of honourable respect, but 
also as a means of gi\'ing him further certainty 
and assurance of tliose things wherein he had 
instructed him, and which it was requisite he 
should be informed of. 

The principal transactions of our Lord's life 
are contained in his gospel ; and the paiticulars 
omitted by him, are, in general, of less impor- 
tance, than those the other E\ an<>:elists forbear 
to mention. 

The acts of the apostles written by St. Luke, 
were no doubt penned at Rome, about the time 
of St. Paul's imprisonment there, with which 
he concludes his history. It contains the ac- 
tions, and sometimes the sufferings of the prin- 
cipal apostles, especially St. Paul, a\ hose acti\'- 
ity in the cause of C k r i s t made him bear a 
greater part in the labours of hi;; master ; and 
St. Luke being his constant attendant, an eve- 
witness of the A\-hole carriage of his life, and 
privy to his most intimate ti-ansactions, was 
consequently capable of giving a more full and 
satisfactor}^ account of them Amongst other 
things, he enumerates the great miracles the 
apostles did in confirmation of the doctrine they 
advanced. 

His manner of AA riting, in both these trea- 
tises, is exact and accurate : his style noble and 
elegimt, sublime and lofty, and yet clear and 
perspicuous, flowing with an easy and natural 
grace and sweetness, admirably adapted to an 
historical design. In short, as an historian, he 
was faithful in his relations, and elegant in his 
v. ritings ; as a minister, ciireful and diligent 
for the good of souls ; as a chi-istiiui, dcA^out 
and pious ; and to croAMi all tlie rest, laid down 
his life in testimony of diat gospel he hadbotli 
preached a-ud published to the world, by the 
command of his L ord. 



276 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRISM^ 



THE LIFE OF ST. JOHN, 

THE APOSTLE AND EVANGELIST.. ..COMMONLY CALLED THE DIVINE, 



THIS beloved disciple of our Lord was a 
native of Galilee, the son of Zebedee and 
Salome, one of those devout women that con- 
stantly attended on our Lord in his ministry, 
and brother of James the Great. Before his 
becoming a disciple of the blessed Jesus, he 
was, in all probability, a follo\\'er of John the 
Baptist, and is thought to be that other disciple, 
who, in the first chapter of his gospel, is said to 
have been present with Andrew when John de- 
claimed Jesus to be ihe Lamb oj God, and there- 
upon to have followed him to the place of his 
residence. 

Though St. John was by much the youngest 
of the apostles, he was nevertheless admitted 
into as great a shai"e of his Master's confidence 
as any of them. He was one of those to whom 
he communicated the most private transactions 
of his life ; one of those whom he took with 
him when he raised the daughter of Jairus from 
the dead ; one of those to whom he exhibited 
a specimen of his divinity, in his transfiguration 
on the mount ; one of those who were present 
at his conference with. Moses and Elias, and 
heard that voice which declared him the belov- 
ed Son of God ; and one of those who were 
companions in his solitude, most retired devo- 
tions, and bitter agonies in the garden. Thus 
of the three who ^vere made the witnesses of 
their Master's actions, which it was conveni- 
ent to conceal, St. John constantly enjoyed the 
privilege of being one : nay, even of these three 
he seems to have had, in some respects, the 
preference ; witness his lying on his Master's 
bosom at the paschal supper : and even Avhen 
Peter was desirous of knowing vA\o was the 
person that should betray their Master, and 
durst not himself ask the question, he made use 
of St. John, to propose it to their Lord, as the 
person most likely to succeed in obtaining an 
answer. 



Our apostle endeavoured, in some measure, 
to answer these instances of particular kindness 
and constancy ; for though he at first deserted 
his Master on his apprehension, yet he soon re- 
covered himself, and came back to seek his Sa- 
viour, confidently entered the high-priest's hall, 
folloW'Cd our Lord through the several particu- 
lars of his trial, and at last waited on him at his 
execution, owning him, as well as being owned 
by him, in the midst of armed soldiers, and in 
the thickest crowds of his most inveterate ene- 
mies. Here it was that our great Redeemer 
committed to his care his sorro^vful and discon- 
solate mother, with his d}dng breath. And 
certainly the holy Jesus could not have given 
a m-ore honourable testimony of his particular 
respect and kindness to St. John, than by leav- 
ing his own mother to his trust and care, and 
substituting him to supply that duty he himself 
paid her, while he resided in this vale of sor- 
row amongst men. 

St. John no sooner heard of our Lord's be- 
ing risen from the chambers of the dust, than 
he, in company with Peter, hastened to the sep- 
ulchre. There seems indeed to have been a 
peculiar intimacy between these two disciples ; 
it v/as Peter that St. John introduced into the 
palace of the high-priest : it was Peter to whom 
he gave notice of Christ's appearing when he 
came to them at the sea of Tiberias, in the hab- 
it of a strajiger ; and it 'svas for St. John that 
Peter was so solicitoj-islj- inquisitive to know 
what vv as determined concerning him, when 
our Saviour expressed himself somewhat am- 
biguously respectmg that disciple. 

After tlie ascension of the Saviour of the 
world, when the apostles made a division of 
the provinces amongst themselves, that of Asia 
fell to the share of St. John; though he did not 
immediately enter upon his charge, but conti- 
nued at Jerusalem till tiie death of the blessed 



AND LIVES OF 

Virgin, which happened about fifteen years af- 
ter our Lord's ascension : being released from 
the trust committed to his care by his dying 
Master, he retired into Asia, and industriously 
applied himself to the propagating Christianity, 
preaching where the gospel had not yet been 
known, and confirming it where it was already 
planted. Many churches of note and eminence 
were of his founding, particularly those of Smy- 
rna, Pergamus, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, 
Laodocea, and others ; but Ihs chief place of 
residence was at Ephesus, where St. Paul had 
many years before founded a church, and con- 
stituted Timothy bishop of it. Nor can we 
suppose that he confined his ministry entirely 
to Asia Minor ; it is highly reasonable to think 
that he preached in other parts of the East, 
probably to the Parthians, his first epistle being 
anciently directed to them ; and the Jesuits as- 
sure us, that the inhabitants of the kingdom of 
Bassora in India affirm, that, according to a 
tradition handed down from their ancestors, St. 
John planted the Christian faith in tl^eir coun- 
try, where tlie Christians are called by his name. 

Having spent several yeai^s at Ephesus, he 
Avas accused to Domitian, who had begun a 
persecution against the Christians as an eminent 
asserter of Atheism and impiety, and a public 
subverter of the religion of the empire ; so that 
by his command, the proconsul sent him bound 
to Rome, where he met with the treatment that 
might have been expected from so barbarous 
prince, being thro^^"n into a caldron of boiling 
oil : but the Almighty, who reserved him for 
j'lulher services in the vineyard of his Son, 
restrained the heat, as he did in the fiery Ru'- 
nace of old, and delivered him from this seem- 
ingly unavoidable destruction. And surely one 
j would have thought that so miraculous a d'd'iv- 
L erance would have been sufficient to haA-e per- 
! suaded any rational man that the religion he 
taught was from God, and that he A\"as protect- 
( - ed from danger by the hand of Omnipotence : 
|i but miracles themselves were not sufficient to 
convince this cruel emperor, or abate his fury : 
I he ordered St. John to be transported to a dis- 
consolate island in the Archipelago, called Pat- 
roos, AA'here he continued several years instruct- 
ing the poor inhabitants in the knowledge of the 
Christian faith ; and here, about the end of 
Domitian's reign, he wrote his book of Re^ e- 

No. 12, 3 



HIS APOSTLES. 277 

lation, exhibiting, by visions and proplK:tical 
i representation s , the state and condition of Chris - 
tiauity, in the future periods and ages of the 
church, till the final consummation of all things. 

After the death of Domitian, and on the suc- 
cession of Nerva, who repealed all the odious 
acts of his predecessor, and by public edicts 
recalled those whom the fury of Domitian had 
banished, St. John returned to Asia, and fixed 
his seat again at Ephesus ; the rather, because 
the people of diat city had lately martyred Tim- 
otliy their bishop. Here, with the assistance 
of seven otherbishops, he took upon himself the 
government of the large diocese of Asia Minor, 
erected oratories, and disposed of the clergy 
in the best manner that the circumstances of 
those times would permit, spending his time 
in an indefatigable execution of his charge, 
travelling from East to West, to instruct the 
world in the principles of the holy religion he 
was sent to propagate. In this manner St. 
John continued to labour in the vineyard of his 
great Master, till death put a period to all his 
toils and sufferings ; which happened in the 
beginning of Trajan's reign, in the ninetj^- 
eighth year of his age, and he was buried near 
Ephesus, according to Eusebius. 

This great evangelist aud apostle seems always 
to have led a single life : though some of the an^ 
cients tell us he was a married man. With 
regard to his natural temper, he seems to haA C 
been of an eager and resolute disposition, easily 
inflamed, but which age had reduced to a calm- 
er temper. He was polished by no study or 
arts of learning ; but \\ hat Avas wanting from 
human ait, was abundantly supplied by the ex- 
cellent constitution of his mind, and that ful- 
ness of divine grace with a\ Iiich he n as adorn- 
ed : his humility was admirable, studiously 
concealing his own honour ; for in his epistles, 
he never stj'les himself either apostle or evan- 
gelist ; the title of presbyter or elder, is all he 
assumes, and probably in regcyd to his age as 
much as his office. In his gospel, when he 
spealcs of disciple whom Jesus loved, he con- 
stantly conceals his ow\\ name, Iciving the 
reader to discover ^ hom he meant : Ioa c and 
charity he practised himself, and affectionately 
pressed them upon others ; the great love of 
his Saviour towards him, seems to have inspir- 
ed his soul with a lai-ger and more generous 
X 



278 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



charity than the rest. This is the great vein 
that runs through all his writings, especially 
his epistles, where he urges it as the great and 
peculiar law of Christianity, and without which 
all other pretences to the religion of the holy 
Jesus are vain and frivolous, useless and in- 
sigiiificant : and this was his constant practice 
to the very hour of his dissolution ; for when 
age and the decays of nature had rendered him 
so weak that he was unable to preach to the 
people any longer, he was constantly led, at 
eveiy public meeting, to the church at Ephe- 
sus, and always repeated to them the same pre- 
cept, Link children, love one another : and 
when his hearers, wearied with the constant 
repetition of the same thing, asked him why he 
never varied his discourse, he answered, ' ' Be- 
cause to love one another was the command of 
our blessed Saviour, and if they did nodiing 
more, this alone was sufficient to denote whose 
they were, and v/hom they served." 

The largest measures of his charity were, 
however, displayed in the remarkable care he 
took to promote the salvation of the souls of 
men ; travelling from East to West in propa- 
gating the principles of that religion he was 
sent to teach, patiently enduring every torment, 
surmounting every difficulty, and removing 
CA'cry obstacle, to save the souls of the human 
race, free their minds from error and idolatrj-, 
and turn them from the paths of vice and de- 
bauchery. Amongst many other instances of 
this kind, Eusebius relates the following. 

" St. John, during one of his visitations of 
the church at Ephesus, Avas greatly pleased 
with the appearance and behav iour of a young 
man, whom he called to him, and, with a spe- 
cial charge, recommended to the bishop, who 
undertook the trust, and promised to discharge 
it Vv^ith the greatest fidelity : accordingl}% the 
bishop took him home with him to his house, 
carefully instructed him in the principles of the 
Christian religion, and at last baptised and con- 
firmed him. After he had proceeded thus far, 
he thought he might a little relax the reins of 
discipliiic ; but the youth made a bad use of 
his liberty, and being deba,uched by evil com- 
pany, became the captain of a gang of robbers, 
and comrnitted the most horrid outrages in the 
adjacer t countries. S^ John being infonned 
of this at his return, shai ply reproved the bi~ 1 



shop, and determined to find the young man 
out ; never considering the dangers that would 
inevitably attend him, by venturing himself 
amongst persons of desperate fortunes : accord- 
ingly, he repaired to the mountains where they 
usually abode, and being taken by one of the 
robbers placed as a watch, he dcoired to be 
carried to their captain, who, on seeing St. 
John coming towards him, immediately fled. 
The apostle, forgetting his age, hastened after 
him ; but beina unable to overtake him., he 
passionately cried out, ' Child, w hy dost thou 
' run from thy father, an old and defenceless 
' man ? Spare me this pains of following thee,. 
' and let not terror and despair seize upon thee., 
' Thy salvation is not irrecoverable. Stay, and 
' be convinced that Christ himself hath sent 
' me.' At these words, the young man stop- 
ped, fixed his eyes upon the earth, trembled in 
every part, and burst into a flood of tears.... 
And when the aged apostle approached, he 
embraced him, and implored forgiveness with 
such weeping and lamentations, that he seem 
ed to be re-baptized, and to wash away his 
sins with his own tears. The apostle received 
him with the greatest kindness, assured him 
that he had obtained pardon for his sins, at the 
hands of his great Redeemer, and returned him 
a true penitent and convert to the church of 
which he was a member." 

Our apostle's care for the souls of men, is 
further evidenced by the vv ritings he left to pos- 
terity. The first of which in time, though 
placed last in the sacred canon, is his Apo- 
calypse, or book of Revelation, which he wrote 
during his banishment at Patmos. After the 
preface and admonition given to the bishops of 
the seven churches in Asia, it contains a pro- 
phetic view of the persecutions the faithful were 
to suffer from the Jews, Heretics, and tyranni- 
cal princes, together with the peaceable and 
flourishing state of the church, till disturbed by 
other enemies ; and the happiness of the church 
triumphant in heaven. And hence, St. John 
is, in the strictest sense, a prophet, and has 
thereby one material addition to his titles, be- 
ing not only an apostle and evangelist, but also 
a prophet : an honour peculiar to himself.... 
S-. Peter was an apostle, but no evangelist: 
S . Mark and St. Luke were evangelists, but 
no :\postles : St. Matthew was an apostle and 



AND LIVES OF 



HIS APOSTLES. 



evangelist, but no prophet : but St. John was 
an apostle, an evangelist, and a prophet like- 
wise. 

His three epistles take place, in order of time, 
next to tlie Apocal}^se ; the first of ^\ Iiich is 
catholic, being calculated for all times and pla- 
ces, and containing the most excellent rules for 
the conduct of a Christian life, pressing to ho- 
liness aiid pureness of manners, and not to be 
satisfied with a naked and empt}' profession of 
religion ; not to be led away with the craft}- in- 
sinuations of seducers ; and cautioning men 
against the poisonous principles and practices 
of the Gnostics. The apostle here, according 
to his usual modesty, conceals his name, it be- 
ing of more consequence to a wise man what is 
said, than he v. ho says it. It appears from St. 
Augustine, that this epistle wa^ anciently inscri- 
bed to the Parthians, because, in all probability, 
St. Jolin preached the gospel in Parthia, The 
otlier two epistles are but short, and directed to 
particular persons ; the one a lady of great qual- 
it}-, the other to the charitable and hospitable 
Gains, the kindest Mend, and most courteous 
entertainer of all indigent Chiistians, in those 
primitive times. 

We are told by Eusebius and St. Jerora, that 
St. John, having perused the otlier three gos- 
pels, approved and confirmed them by his au- 
thority ; but obser\"ing, at the same time, that 
these evangelists had omitted several of our bles- 
sed Saviomr's transactions, particularly those 
which were performed before the Baptist's im- 
prisonment, he wTote his gospel to supply what 
was wanting in them ; and because sex'er^d 
Heretics were at ihaX time sprung up in the ' 



church, who denied the divinity of our blessed 
Saviour, he took care to guard against diese 
heresies, by proving that our great Redeemer 
was God from everlasting. He largely re- 
coi'ds our Saviour's discourses, but takes lit- 
tle notice of his miracles, probably because the 
other evangelists had so fully and particular!)- 
written concerning them. 

Previous to his undertaking the task of wri- 
ting his gospel, he caused a general fast to be 
kept by all the Asian churches, to implore the 
blessing of Heaven on so great and momentous 
an undertaking. AA^hen this was done, he set 
about the work, and completed it in so excellent 
and sublime a manner, that the ancients gene- 
rally compared him to an eagle's soaring aloft 
amongst the clouds, A\'hither the weak eve of 
mail M as not able to follo^v him. ' ' Among all 
tlie evangelical 'v^Titers," says St. Basil, "none 
are like St. John, tlie son of thunder, for the 
sublimit}- of his speech, and the height of his 
discourses, which ai^e beyond any man's capa- 
cit}- fully to reach and comprehend." "St. 
John, as a true son of thunder," says Epipha- 
nius, by a loftiness of speech peculitu' to him- 
self, " acquaints us, as it were out of the clouds 
and dark recesses of wisdom, with the di\"ine 
docti ine of the Son of God, the glorious Sea ioui 
of mankind." 

Thus have -we given the character of the wt'i- 
tings of this gi-eat apostle and evangelist, who, 
as we have hinted before, was honoured v, ith 
the endearing title of being the beloved disci- 
ple of the Son of God ; and \vas a writer so sub- 
lime as to deser\-e, by way of eminence, thg 
character of >6'/. Joh?i the Divine. 



LIFE 0F CHRIST 



THE LIFE OF ST. PAUL, 

THE APOSTLE TO THE GENTILES. 



THIS eminent and laborious apostle was a 
native of Tai-siis, and a descendant from 
the ancient stock of Abraham. He was born 
about two years before the blessed Jesus, and 
belonged to the tribe of Benjamin, the young- 
est son of Jacob, who thus prophecied of him, 
Benjamin shall raven as a wolf ; in the morn- 
ing he shall devour the prey^ and at night he 
shall divide the spoil ; a prophetical character 
which TertuUian and others will have to be ac- 
complished in this apostle : for, in his youth, 
or the morning of his days, he persecuted the 
churches, destroying the flock of tlie Almighty ; 
he devoured the prey : in his declining age, or 
evening of his days, he became a physician of 
the nations, feeding and distributing, with the 
greatest care and assiduity, the sheep of C h r i s t , 
the great Shepherd of Israel. 

The place of this apostle's nativity, was Tar- 
sus, the metropolis of Cilicia, situated about 
three hundred miles distant from Jerusalem ; 
it was exceedingly rich and populous, and a 
Roman municipium, or free corporation, in- 
vested with the privileges of Rome by the two 
first emperors, as a rcM'^ard for the citizens firm 
adherence to the Caesars in the rebellion of 
Crassus. St. Paul was therefore born a Roman 
citizen, and he often pleads this privilege on his 
trials. 

The inhabitants of Tarsus usually sent their 
children into other cities for learning and im- 
provement, especially to Jerusalem, where they 
were so numerous, that they had a synagogue 
of their own, called the synagogue of the Cili- 
cians. To this capital our apostle was also 
sent, and brought up at the feet of that eminent 
rabbi Gamaliel, in the most exact knowledge 
of the law of Moses : nor did he fail to profit 
by the instructions of that great master ; for he 
so diligently conformed himself to his precepts, 
that, without boasting, he asseits of himself, 
that touching the righteousness of the law, he 
was blameless, and defied even his enemies to 



alledge any thing to the contraiy, even in his; 
youth. He joined himself to the sect oftlie 
Pharisees, the most strict order of the Jewish 
religion ; but, at the same time, the proudest, 
and the greatest enemies to Christ and his 
holy religion, as evidently appears by the chai'- 
acter given of them by the evangelists, and our 
Lord's description of that self-righteous sect. 

Respecting his double capacity, of Jewish 
extraction and Roman freedom, he had two 
names, «5?aM/and Paul, the former Hebrew, and 
the latter Latin. It was common for the dsSfei 
cendants of Benjamin to give the name of Sajj^ 
' to their children ever since the time of the firs% 
king of Israel, who was chosen out of that tribe ; 
and Paul was a name as common amongst the 
Romans. We must also consider his trade of 
j tent-making as a part of his education, it beingi 
the constant practice of the Jews, to bring up 
their children to some honest calling, that, in: 
case of necessity, they might provide for them- 
selves by the labour of their own hands, with- 
out becoming burdensome to the public. 

Having obtained a thorough knoAvledge of 
the sciences cultivated by the Jews, and being 
naturally of a very hot and fiery temper, Saul 
became a great champion for the law of Moses, 
and the tradition of the eiders, which he consi- 
dered as a zeal for God. This rendered him 
impatient of all opposition to the doctrine and 
tenets he had imbibed, and a vehement blas- 
phemer and persecutor of the Christians, who 
were commonly reputed the enemies and des- 
troyers of the Jewish oeconomy. We must 
not hoM^ever, consider our apostle as guilty of 
the pride and hypocrisy of the Pharisees ; for 
he declares, that he had ever been careful to 
act in conformity to the dictates of his consci- 
ence, by which he thought himself bound to 
do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of 
Nazareth. It was therefore the prejudice of 
his education, and the natural warmth of his 
temper, that excited him to those violent per^ 



AND LIVES- OF HIS APOSTLES. 



281 



secutions of the Christians, for which he be- 
came so famous in the infancy of the church. 

We find that the first action he engaged in, 
was the disputation he and liis countrymen had 
with the raai-t)T Stephcny concerning the Mes- 
siah. The Christian was too hard for tliem in 
the dispute; but they were too powerful for 
hirft in their civil interests ; for being enraged 
at his convincing arguments, they carried him 
before the high-priest, who, by false accusations, 
condemned him to death. How for Saul was 
concerned in diis cruel action, is impossible to. 
say ; all we know is, that he kept the raiment 
of them that slew him, and, consequently, M^as 
accessary to his death. 

The enemies of the church having thus rais- 
ed a storm of persecution against it, it increas- 
ed prodigiously, and the poor christians of Je- 
rusalem were miserably harrassed and dispers- 
ed. In this persecution, our apostle was a 
principal agent, searching all the adjacent pails 
for the afflicted saints, beating some in the sy- 
nagogue, compelling some to blaspheme, con- 
fining some in prison, and procuring others to 
be put to death for their profession : nor could 
Jerusalem ajid the adjacent parts confine his 
fiery zeal ; he applied to the Sanhedrim, and 
procured a commission from that court, to ex- 
tend his persecution to Damascus. How 
cicrniaiy insatiable is the fury of a misguided 
zeal ! how restless and unwearied in its designs 
of cruelty ! It had already sufficiently harrass- 
ed the poor Christians at Jerusalem, but not 
content with that, it persecuted them to strange 
cities, even to Damascus itself, whither many 
of them had fled for shelter, resolving to bring 
them back to Jerusalem, in order to their pun- 
ishment and execution there. 

We think it necessary to observe here, that 
the Jewish Sanhedrim had not only the power 
of seizing and scourging oifenders against their 
law, witliin the bounds of their own country, 
but by the connivance, and favour of the Ro- 
mans, mi^iit send into other countries, where 
there were any synagogues that acknov\^ledg-ed 
a dependence in religious aftairs upon the coun- 
cil of Jerusalem to apprehend them ; and, ac- 
cordingly, Saul was sent to Damascus, to ap- 
prehend what Christians he could find in that 
city, and bring them bound to Jerusalem, to 
be tried aiid punished. 

NO. 12. 3 



It Avas, however, Saul's peculiar happiness, 
that the Almighty designed to employ him in 
a work of a very different nature, and accord- 
ingly stopped him in his journey : for as he 
was travelling between Jerusalem and Damas- 
cus, to execute the commission of the Jewish 
Sanhedrim, a refulgent light, far exceeding the 
brightness of the sun, darted upon him ; at 
which both he and his companions were terri- 
bly amazed and confounded, falling, together 
with their horses, prostrate on the ground.... 
Amidst this confusion, a \'oice was heard in 
the Hebrew language, saying, Saul, Saul, why 
persecutest thou me ? To which Saul replied, 
Who art thou. Lord ? And was immediately 
answered, I am Jesus of Nazareth, xvhom thou 
persecutest : It is hard for thee to lack against 
the pricks. As if the blessed Jesus had said, 
" All thy attempts to extirpate the faith in me, 
will prove abortive, and, like kicking against 
the spikes, wound and torment thyself the 
more." 

Being now sufficiently convinced of his folly 
in acting against Jesus, whom he was now as- 
sured to be the true Messiah, Saul asked, Lord, 
what xvilt thou have me to do ? On which the 
blessed Jesus informed him of the true inten- 
tion of his appearance. Arise, said he, and stand 
upon thy feet ; for I have appeared unto thee 
for this purpose t to make thee a minister and 
a witness, both of these things which thou hast 
seen, and of those things in the which I zvill 
appear unto thee; delivering thee from the peo- 
ple and from the Genliles,unto tvhom now I send 
thee, to ope7i their eyes, and to turn them from 
darknees to light, and Jrom the pozver of Satan 
unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of 
sins, and inheritance amongst them ivliich are 
sanctified by faith that is in me. Acts xxvi. 
16, 17, 18. And for further instruction, the 
immaculate Jesus referred liim to one of his 
folloW'Crs, named Ananias, commanding him 
to repair immediately to the city, and receive 
further instruction from that disciple. 

The men who were with himheai-d the voice, 
but did not see tlie person who spake from hea- 
ven : in all probability they Were ig-norant of 
tlie Hebrew language, and therefore onh- heard 
a confused sound ; for tlie apostle himseli tells 
us, that they heard not the voice of him that 

Y 



282 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



spake, that is, they did not hear it with a pro- 
per degree of understanding. 

Saul now arose from the eailli, but found 
liimself deprived of sight, the resplendent 
brightness of the vision being too intense for 
mortal eyes to behold. His companions there- 
fore, led him by the hand to the city of Da- 
mascus, where he entered the house ot Judas, 
and remained there three days m ithout sight, 
nor did he either eat or drink, but spent his 
time in prayer to the Almighty, beseeching 
him to pardon the sins of his past life, and be 
gracious to him. 

Our blessed Saviour, in the mean time, ap- 
peared in a vision to Ananias, a very devout 
and religious man, highly esteemed by all the 
inhabitants of Damascus, though he professed 
the religion of the crucified Jesus, command- 
ing him to go into such a street of the city, and 
inquire in the house of Judas, for one Saul of 
Tai-sus, then offering up the most fervent pray- 
ers to the throne of grace. Ananias, who was 
ever ready to obey the commands of the Most 
High, stiirtled at the name, having heard of his 
bloody practices at Jerusalem, and what com- 
mission he was now come to execute in Da- 
mascus : he therefore suspected that his pre- 
tended conversion was nothing more than a 
snare artfully laid for the Christians. But our 
blessed Saviour soon removed his apprehen- 
sions, by telling him that his suspicions were 
entirely destitute of foundation ; and that he 
had now taken him as a chosen vessel to preach 
the gospel, both to the Jews and Gentiles, and 
even before the greatest monarchs of the earth ; 
acquainting him, at the same time, with the 
gi-eat tilings he should do and suffer for the 
sake of the gospel, \^'hat chains and imprison- 
ments, what racks and scourges, what hunger 
and thirst, whaX shipwrecks, and that, at last, 
he should even suffer death itself. 

Tlie fears of Ananias being thus quieted, 
he immediately obeyed the heavenly vision, 
repaired to the house of Judas, and laid hands 
upon Saul, saying, " That Jesus who appear- 
ed to thee in the way, hath sent me to restore 
thy sight, and, by the infusion of his spirit, to 
give thee the knowledge of those truths which 
thou hast blindly and ignorantly persecuted : 
but who now is \\ illing to receive thee by bap- 



tism into his church, and make thee a member 
of his body." 

This speech was no sooner pronounced, 
than there fell from his eyes thick films, re- 
sembling scales, and he received his sight, and 
after biiptism, conversed freely with the Chiis- 
tians of Damascus. Nor did he only converse 
with them ; he also, to the great astonishment 
of the whole church, preached tlie gospel to 
those Christians, he came down with an inten- 
tion to destroy, boldly asserting, t/iat Jesus was 
ihe Christy the Sor. of God i and proving it to 
the Jews with such demonstrative evidence, 
that they m ere confounded, and found it im- 
possible to answer him, or disprove his argu- 
ments. 

St. Paul did not stay long at Damascus after 
his conversion ; nor did. he return to Jerusa- 
lem : but being commanded to preach the gos- 
pel to the Gentiles, he retired into Arabia 
PetrEea, where he received a full revelation of 
all the mysteries of Cliristianity ; for he him- 
self declares, that he conversed not with flesh 
and blood. And having preached in several 
parts of that country some time, he returned 
again to Damascus, applying himself with the 
utmost assiduity to the great work of the min- 
istry, frequenting the synagogues there, pow- 
erfully confuting the objections commonly 
made by the descendants of Jacob against Je- 
sus of Nazareth, and converting great num- 
bers of Jews and Gentiles to the faith. 

This apostle was indeed remai"kably zealous 
in his preaching, and blessed with a very ex- 
traordinary method of reasoning, whereby he 
proved the fundamental points of Chiistianity 
beyond exception. This irritated the Jews to 
tlie highest degree : and, at length, after two of 
three years continuance in those parts, they 
found means to prevail on the governor of Da- 
mascus to have him put to deatli : but they 
knew it would be difficult to take him, as he 
had so many friends in the city ; they there- 
fore kept themselves a continual vi^atfch, search* 
ed all the houses where they supposed he might 
conceal himself, and also obtained a guard from 
the governor to observe the gates in order, to 
p; event his escaping from the place. 

His Christiiui friends were far from desert- 
ing him in this distress ; they tried every me- 
thod that offered, to procure his escape : but 



AND LIVES OF 

finding it impossible for him to pass through 
either of the gates of the city, tliey let him clown 
from one of their houses throagii a window in 
a basket, over the wall, by which means the cru- 
el designs of his enemies were rendered inefiec- 
tual. 

St. Paul having thus escaped from his mali- 
cious persecutors, repaired to Jerusalem, and, 
on his arrival, addressed himself to the church : 
but they knowing well the former temper and 
principles of this grciit persecutor, shunned his 
company till Barnabas brought him to Peter, 
who was not }^et cast into prison, and to James 
our Lord's brother, bishop of Jerusalem, m- 
forming them of his miraculous conversion, 
and that he had preached the gospel with the 
greatest boldness in the synagogue of Damas- 
cus ; upon which they gladly received him, 
and entertained him fifteen days with tlie great- 
est hospitality and affection. 

He was remarkably assiduous during this 
interval, in preaching the gospel of the Son of 
.God, and confuting the Hellenistic Jews, with 
the greatest courage and resolution. Bat snares 
were soon laid for him, as malice ca" as easily 
cease to be, as to remain inactive , and being 
warned by God in a vision, that his testimony 
would not be received at Jerusalem, and there- 
fore it was necessary for him to depart and 
preach the gospel to the Gentiles. According- 
ly, being conducted by the bretliren to Casarea 
Philippi, he set sail for Tarsus, his native city ; 
from whence he was soon after brought by Bar- 
nabas to Antioch, to assist him in propagating 
Christianity in that cit3% In this emplo3^ment 
he spent one whole year, and had the pleasure 
of seeing the gospel flourish in a very remark- 
able manner in those parts. 

Here the disciples first acquired the name of 
Christiims, for before they were styled Naza- 
reens ; but this appellation soon prevailed all 
over the world, and the former was, in a few 
ages, almost entirely laid aside. 

A terrible famine, foretold by Agabus, hap- 
pened, about this time, in several ptu ts of the 
Roman empire, p u-ticuiarly in Judea ; v.hich 
induced the Christians at Antioch to compas- 
sionate the miseries of their brethren at Jeru- 
salem ; and, accordingly, raised considerable 
contributions for their relief, which they sent 
to the capital of Judea by the hiuids of Barnabas 



HIS APOSTLES. 283 

and Saul, who, immediately after executing 
their commission, returned to Antioch. But 
while they were periorming the public exer- 
cises of religion, it was revealed to them by the 
Holy Ghost, tliat they should set apart Barna- 
bas and Saul, to preach the gospel in other pla- 
ces ; which was accordingly done, and they 
were immediately deputed for that service by 
prayer, fasting, and the imposition of hands. 

They first of all visited Seleucia, w here they 
did not continue long, but sailed for Cyprus ; 
and at Salamis, a great city in that island, they 
preached in the synagogue of the Jews. From 
hence they removed to Paphos, the residence 
of Sergius Paulus, the proconsul of the island, 
a man of great M-isdom and prudence, but mis- 
erably seduced by the wicked aitifices of Bar- 
Jesus, a Jewish imposter, who styled himself 
Elymas, or the magician, vehemently opposed 
the apostles, and kept the proconsul from em- 
bracing the faith, as preached by them. 

However, the proconsul calied lor the apos- 
tles, who, after severely checking Elymas for 
his malicious opposition to the truth, told him 
the divine vengeance was now ready to seize 
upon him ; and immediately he wos depri\ ed 
of his sight. The veiigeance of the Almighty, 
in depriving him of the use of his bodily eyes, 
bore a remarkable analogy to the blindness o£ 
those of his mind, \^'hich v\ ere so v. ilfullv and 
maliciously shut against the light of the gospel , 
and also endeavoured to keep others in dark- 
ness and ignorance. This miracle con\ inced 
the proconsul of the ti-uth of the doctrines 
taught by the apostles, and made him a convert 
to Christianity. 

After this remarkable success in Cyprus, St. 
Paul repaired to Phrygia and Pumphilia, and 
taking Titus with, him in the room of Mark , 
who ^^'as gone to Jerusalem, travelled to Anti- 
och, the metropolis of Phisidia. Soon after their 
arrival they entered the s\ iiagogue of the Jews 
on the Sabbath-day, and, after the reading of 
the law, Paul being invited b}" the rulers of the 
synagogue, delivered himself in tlie following 
manner : " Hearken, all ye descendants of Ja- 
cob, and 3 e that fear the Alniighty, to the words 
of my mouth. The G od of Israel made choice 
of our fathers, and loved them, when they had 
no city of their o\^"n to dwell in, but were strai igers 
and slaves in Eg}'pt, bringing them irom thei;ce 
with a mighty hand, and a stretched-out sq-m ; 



284 



Lra^ GF JE:8U^ CHRIST 



fed them in the wildenoess. forty, years, aiid 
would not suffer his anger to riseagamst tlienij 
though they oftea provoked hhn in the desert. 
On their arrival in the land, he prornised their 
fathers, he destroyed the nations that inhabited 
it, and placed them in that fruitful country, di- 
viding it to them by lot, for their inheritance. 

" As soon as they were settled in the land, 
he gave them judges during four hundred and 
fifty yeai's, till Samuel the prophet : but on their 
desiring a king, he placed over them Saul, the 
sonofCis,a Benjamite, whoreig-ned about for- 
ty years ; and after his death, he placed David 
on the throne of Israel, giving him this testimo- 
ny, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man 
after mine ozvn heart, which shall fulfil all my 
zvilL And according to his promise, the Al- 
mighty hath raised up to the sons of David a 
Saviour Jesus, which is Christ the Lord. 
The baptism of repentance having been preach- 
ed before his coming by John : and as his fore- 
runner executed his office, he asked his follow- 
ers, Whom think ye that I am ? You must not 
mistake me for the Messiah ; he will soon fol- 
low me : but I am not worthy to perform the 
meanest office for him. 

* ' Therefore, ye descendants of Abraham, 
and all others who fear the Almighty, to you is 
the word of this salvation sent. For the inhab- 
tants of Jerusalem, and rulers of Israel, being 
ignorant of him, and the voicesof the prophets, 
though read every Sabbath in their synagogues, 
fulfilled their predictions by condemning the 
immaculate Son of the Most High. They 
found indeed no fault in him, though they ear- 
nestly desired Pilate that he might be crucifi ed. 

" Every thing that had been written by the 
prophets concerning him, being now fulfilled, 
they took him from the tree, and deposited his 
body in the chambers of the grave : but death 
had no power to detain him ; his Almighty 
Father raised him from the habitations of the 
dead. After w hich, he was seen during many 
days by his disciples, who attended him from 
Galilee, and Who are the witnesses, chosen by 
Omnipotence, of these great and miraculous 
works. And we now declare unto you glad 
tidings, namely, That the promise made by 
the Almighty to our forefathers, . he hath per- 
formed to us their children, by raising Jesus 
from the dead. The prophet David also said, 



Tho^art my Son, this day have I begotten thee..^ 
He also foretold, that he should return from 
the chambers of the dust, and no more be sub- 
ject to corruption: I zvill give him, aaid he, 
the sure mercies of David. And ag-ain, Thou 
shalt not suffer tliineHoly One to see corruption. 
Now this prophecy must relate to the Messiah, 
for David himself, after he had swayed the 
sceptre of Israel a certain time, fell asleep, was 
deposited in the chambers of the grave, and his 
flesh saw corruption : but the great son of Da- 
vid, whom the Almighty raised from the dead, 
never saw corruption, as it was written of him. 

"Therefore, be it known unto you, men 
and brethren, that through this Saviour is 
preached unto you, the forgiveness of sins : it 
is by his merits we are justified from all things, 
which was impossible by the law of Moses. 
Be careful, therefore, lest what was foretold by 
the prophets come upon you, Behold, ye des- 
pisers, and wonder, and perish : for I zt ork a 
xmrk in your days, a work zvhich you shall in 
no zjsise believe, though a man declare it unto 
you." 

The apostle's speech had the desired effect; 
for several of the Jews, who were convinced of 
the truth, desired to hear him on the next Sab- 
bath, and the apostles persuaded them to con- 
tinue firm in the belief of these things. The 
ensuing Sabbath, almost the whole cit}^ flocked 
to hear the apostles ; at which the Jews were 
filled with envy, and contradicted Paul, utter- 
ing many blasphemous expressions against the 
name of Jesus of Nazareth : but their oppo- 
sition could not daunt the apostles, who boldly 
declared that our blessed Saviour had charged 
them to preach the gospel first to the Jews ; 
but as they so obstinately rejected it, they were 
now to address themselves to the Gentiles ; 
who, hearing this, rejoiced exceedingly, mag- 
nifying the word of the Almighty, and many 
of them embraced the doctrines of the gospel. 
This increased the malice and fury of the Jews, 
who, by false and artful insinuations, prevailed 
on some of the more devout and honourable 
women to bi'ing over their husbands to their 
party ; by which means, Paul and Barnabas 
were driven out of the city. At M^hich the 
apostles departed, shaking off the dust from 
their feet, as a testimony against their ingrati- ; 
tude, infidelity, and rejection of the gospel. 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



285 



They went from Antioch to Iconium,- the 
metropolis of Lycaonia, a province of the Les- 
ser Asia, where they again entered into the sy- 
nagogue of tl)e Jews, notw ithstanding the ill- 
ti-eatment they had met u ith from the Jews in 
other places ; for so great was their zeal for the 
gospel, that they were not to be deterred from 

preaching it by ill-usage, however great 

Therefore, according to their usual method, 
they again began their preaching in the assem- 
bly of Israelites ; and the Almighty so far as- 
sisted their endeavours, tlaat many, both Jews 
and proselytes, believed. Their success en- 
£;ouraged them to continue a considerable time 
in this cit)^, to instruct the converts, and con- 
firm their faith by miracles. But, though they 
had gained a considerable part of the city to the 
faith, yet many continued in their infidelity : 
the old leaven of Jewish malice began again to 
! ferment, and the unbeliev ing Jews, having 
stirred up the Gentiles against the apostles, at 
last prevailed on the multitude to stone them : 
\ but the apostles having timely notice of their 
|| design, fied from the city, and travelled to Lys- 
j tra, where they preached the gospel to the in- 
! habitants, and those who dwelt in the country 
i . adjacent. 

At Lystra there was a man amongst the con- 
verts, who had been lame from his mother's 
womb, and never had walked : and Paul, per- 
I ceiving that he had faith to be sa's-ed, thought 
Ij proper to add the cure of his body to that of his 
soul, knovving that it would not only be bene- 
ficial to him, but to all the rest of die believers, 
by confirming their faith : and, that the mira- 
\ cle might be wrought in the most conspicuous 
manner, he, in the midst of the congregation, 
said in an audible voice to the man. Stand iip- 
' right on thy Jeet : and the words were no soon- 
1 er pronounced, than his strength M-as at once 
' restored, and he leaped up and walked, prais- 
I ing God. 

I They who were eye-witnesses to this m.ira- 
I cle, well knew that it was not \vTouglit by any 
j human power ; but having been initiated into 
i the superstitiouscustomsof the Heathens, cri- 

ed out, in the speech of Lycoania, The Gods 
I are come doxvn to us in the likeness of men.... 

And accordingly they called Birnabas Jupiter, 
. because of his venei'able gravity, and Pau^ 
' Mercury, from his eloquence. Nor was it 

I No. 12. 



long before die whole city resounded with ac- 
clamations ; so that almost all the inluibitauts 
gathered themselves together, and preceded 
by the priest of Jupiter, and oxen dressed in 
garlands, they came to tlic house where the 
apostles were, intending to do sacrifice to them : 
but as soon as Barnabas and Paul understood 
their intentions, they were greatly affected at 
this superstitious attempt ; and rending their 
clothes to express their grief and abhorrence 
of the action, ran to them, crying out, " Ye 
men of Lystra, ye are mistiikeu in the object 
of your worship ; for though we have done 
many miracles in the name, and by the power 
of Christ, yet we are no more than men, and 
subject to the same passions as yourselves, and 
preach unto you the glad tidings of salvation, 
that ye may forsake the vanities of this world, 
and turn to the living God, who created the 
heaven and the earth, the sea, and all the crea- 
tures they contain. This Omnipotent Being 
suffered all nations formerly to walk in their 
own ways, though he never left himself with- 
out a witness, doing the greatest good to the 
children of men ; it is he that sendeth rain from 
heaven, and crowneth the year with fruitful 
seasons, filling our hearts with joy and glad- 
ness." 

The apostles' argument had the desired ef- 
fect ; and the people were at last, though with 
difficulty, persuaded to lay aside their intended 
indolatrous sacrifice : and surely no argument 
could be more proper to affect the minds of 
the audience. Is it possible to survey the se- 
veral parts of the creation, and not discover in 
every place, evident traces of an infinite wis- 
dom, power and goodness ? Who can contem- 
plate the heavens, and not discern the wisdom 
of Omnipotence, adorning in the most beauti- 
ful manner, those loity regions ? Behold the 
sun, how justly is that source of light and heat, 
placed in the centre of" the planetary choir, that 
each may enjoy its destined share of his proli- 
fic beams ; so that the earth is not bunit by a 
too near approach, nor chilled b}' tlie northern 
blasts from too gi"eat a recess ; but impregnat- 
ed v. ith fruits and flowers, by the happy influ- 
ence ofa vital heat, and crooned with luxiu-iant 
plent}^, by the benign influences of the seasons. 
Wfio but an Infinite Being, could launch these 
massive globes tiu'ough tiie immense regions 

5-Z 



5286 



MFE OF JESUS GHRIST 



of space, and confine their motions to tjieir res- 
pective orbits ? Who poizes the balancings oj 
the clouds, that divides a zvater-course for the 
overjlozving of xvaters, and a uuiyfor the light- 
ening vf thunder ? Who can bind the siveel in- 
fluences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Urion? 
Or v. ho can bring forth Mazzc/rofh in his sea- 
son, or guide Arcturus zvitii his sons P Do 
these happen by chiaice, or by the secret ap- 
pointment of Infinite Wisdom ? Who can con- 
template the wonderful proper ties of the air, 
the great treasury of vital brea*h,, and not re- 
flect on the divine Wisdom that formed it ? If 
we survey the earth, we there discover the 
footsteps of an Almighty Being, who stretch- 
eth the North over the empty place, ai d hang- 
eth tlie earth upon nothing ; filling it with a 
gTcat variety of admirable and useful creatures, 
and maintaining them all by the bounty of his 
hand. It is he that clothes the grass with a 
delightful verdm"e, that croAv ns the year \\iX\\ 
his loving kindness, and causes the valleys to 
stand thick with corn. It is he that maketh 
the grass togroiv upon the mountains, aiid herb 
Jor the service of man : he adorns the lilies of 
the field, that neither toil nor spin, with a glory 
that excels the pomp and grandeur of Solo- 
mon's court : He shut up the sea zvith doors, 
and said. Hitherto shall thou come, but no fur- 
ther, and here shall thy proud xvaves be stayed. 
It is this Almighty Being that ai^rests the storm, 
ajid smooths the tempestuous billows of the 
deep ; that deliveretli the mariner from all his 
troubles, and bringeth his ship into the desired 
haven of safety. How reasonable, therefore, 
is it, that we should v\^orship and adore this 
Omnipotent, tliis kind Creator, andnot transfer 
the honours due to him alone, to frail mortals, 
much less to dumb idols, the works of men's 
hands, which cannot profit. 

Thus having persuaded the people to desist 
from the idolatrous worship they would have 
paid them, the apostles continued their labours 
in instructing the people, and planting in this 
city the gos]>el of the Son of God : but the 
malice of the Jews still pursued them ; for 
some of these bigotted Israelites coming from 
Antioch and Iconium, exasperated and stirred 
up the multitude ; so that those very persons 
who could hcvrdly be restrained from offering 
•sacrifice to tiiem,. now used them like slaves, 



stoning them in so cruel a manner, that Paul 
was thought to be dead, and as such ihey 
dragged him out of the city ; but while the 
Christians of Lystra were attending on his 
corpse, probably in order to carry him to his 
griive, he arose and returned with them into 
the city ; and the next day departed with Bar- 
nabas to Derbe, where they preached the gos- 
pel, and converted many ; no danger being 
able to terrify them from the work of the min^ 
istry, and publishing the glad tidings of salva- 
tion, in every place they came to. 

However, they did not long continue at 
Derbe, but returned to Lysti-a, Iconium, and 
Antioch of Pisidia, confirming the Cliristians 
of those places in the faith, earnestly persuad* 
ing them to persevere, and not be discouraged 
with those troubles and persecutions which 
they must expect would attend the profession 
of the gospel. And that the affairs of the church 
might be conducted with more regularity, 
they ordained elders and pastors, to teach, to 
instruct, and to watch over them ; and then 
left them to the protection of the Almighty, to 
whose care they recommended them by fast- 
ing and prayer. 

The apostles, after leaving Antioch, passed 
through Pisidia, and came to Pamphylia ; and 
after preaching the gospel at Perga, they went 
down to Attalia. Having thus finished the 
circuit of their ministry, they returned back 
to Antioch in Syria, from whence they at first 
departed. Here they summoned the church, 
and gave them an account of their ministry, 
the success it had met with in these different 
parts, and how great a door had thus been 
opened for the conversion of the Heathens. 

During St. Paul's stay at Antioch, that fa» 
mous controversy, relating to the observation 
of the Jewish ceremonies in the Christian dis- 
pensation, was set on foot by certain Jewish- 
converts, to the great disturbance of the whole 
church. And it was determined to send Paul 
and Barnabas to consult with the apostles and • 
church at Jerusalem, that this affair might be 
settled on the most solid foundation. On their , 
iirrival at Jerusalem, they first addi'essed them-, 
selves to Peter, James, and John, ;he pillars of 
that church, by whom they were kindly enter- 
taiued, and admitted to the right hand of fel- 
lowship. And perceiving by the account.giyea 



1 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



28 V 



them by St. Paul, -that the gospel of the uncir- 
cumcision was committed to him, as that of the 
circumcision was to Peter, they agreed that 
Peter should preach to the Jews, and Paul to 
the Gentiles. This being determined, a coun- 
cil \vas summoned, wherein Peter decku-ed his 
opinion, and Paul and Barnabas acquainted 
tiiem ^vith the great things God, by their min- 
istry, had done amongst the Gentiles. A plain 
evidence, that they were accepted by the Al- 
mighty, though uncircumcised as well as the 
Jews with all their legal rights and privileges. 
Accordingly, it was unanimously determined, 
that Gentiles were not under the obligation of 
the law of Moses, imd therefore, for their fuller 
satisfaction in this matter, it was agreed, that 
some persons of their own church should be 
joined with Paul and Barnabas, to carry the 
decrees of the council to Antioch. 

St. Paul and his companions, having receiv- 
ed the decretal epistle, returned back to Anti- 
och ; and soon after Peter himself came down. 
On reading this epistle in the church, the con- 
verts conversed freely mid inoffensively v/ith the 
Gentiles, till some of the Jews coming thither 
from Jerusalem, Peter withdrew his conversa- 
tion, as if it had been a thing unw arrantable aiid 
unlawful. By such a strange method of pro- 
ceeding, the minds of many were dissatisfied, 
and their eoiisciences very uneasy. St. Paul, 
with the gi-eatest concern, observed it, and pub- 
licly rebuked Peter, with that shtapness and 
severity his unwaiTantable practice called for 
on such an important occasioiu 

Faul and Barnabas, soon after this dispute, 
resolved to visit the churches they had planted 
amongst the Gentiles, and Barnabas was desi- 
rous of taken with them his cousen Mark : but 
this Paul strenuously opposed, as he had left 
them ii\ their former journey. This trifling 
dispute arose to such a height, that these two 
great apostles and fellow-labourers in the gos- 
pel parted asunder ; Bcu-nabas, taking Mark 
with him,^ repaired to Cyprus his native coun- 
try.; and Paul, having made choice of Silas, 
and recommended the success of his undertiik- 
ihg to the care of Divine Providence, set for- 
\mrd on his intended journey i 

Si. Paul and Siias first visited the churclies 
of Sy ria and Ciiicia, confirming them m the 
faith, by their iustructions and exhortations. 



llence they sailed to Crete, where Paul preaclt- 
ed the gospel, iuid constituted Titus to be the 
first bishop and pastor of that island, leaving him 
to settle those affairs of the church which time 
would not permit the apostles to settle himself. 
From hence Paul and Siias, returned back in- 
to Ciiicia, and came to Lystra, where they found 
Timothy, whose flrther was a Greek , but his 
mother a Jewish convert, and by her he had 
been brought up under all the advantages of a 
pious and religious education, especially with 
regard to the Holy Scriptures, which he had 
studied with the greatest assiduity and success. 
This person St. Paul designed for the com- 
panion of his travels, and a special instrument in 
the ministry of the gospel : but, knowing that 
his being unchxumcised would prove a stum- 
bling block to the Jews, caused him to be cir- 
cumcised ; being willing in lawful and indif- 
ferent matters, in order to save the souls of men. 
to conform himself to their tempers, apprehen- 
sions, and prejudices. 

St. Paul and his companions no^^ departed 
from Lystra, passing through Phrygia and the 
country of Galatia, where the apostle was en- 
tertained with the greatest kindness and \'ene- 
ration, the people looking as an angel sent im.- 
mediately from heaven ; and being by revela- 
tion forbidden to go into Asia, he was com- 
manded by a second vision to repair to Mape-, 
donia, to preach the gospel. 

Accordingly, our apostle prepared to pass 
rom Asia into Europe. Here St. Luke join- 
ed them, and became everiifter the inseparable 
companion of St. Paul, who, being desirous 
oi finchng the speediest passage into Macedonia, 
took ship with his companions Silas, Luke, and 
Timothy, aiid came to Sampthracia, an island 
in the ^Egean sea, not far from Tlirace ; and 
the next day to Neapolis, a port of Macedonia., 
Leaving Neapolis, they repaired to Philippi, the 
metropolis of that pai't of Macedonia, imd a 
Roman colony, where, for some days they re- 
side, d. 

Paul, according to his constant practice, 
pi tciched in a Proseucha or oratory oftlve Jews, 
which stood by the river's side, at some dis- 
tance from this city, imd was much ti'equei ited 
by the devout women of their religion, w ho met 
there to pray, and hear the law. To Jiese St, 
Paul preached the glad tidings of the gospel ; 



288 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



and, by the influence of the Holy Spirit, con- 
\'erted many, especially a certain m oman named 
Lydia, a Jewish proselyte, a seller of purj^le in 
that city, but a native of Thyatira. This wo- 
man, being baptized with her whole family,^^^as 
so importunate with St. Paul and his compan- 
ions to abide at her house, that they were con- 
strained to accept of her invitation. 

While the apostles resided in Philippi, they 
continued their daily course of worshipping at 
the same oratory. And after several days, as 
they were repairing to the same place of devo- 
tion, there met them a damsel who had a pro- 
phetic spirit of divination, by whom her mas- 
ters' acquired very great advantage. This wo- 
man followed Paul and his companions, crying 
out, These men are the servants of the Most 
High God, which shew unto us the zvay to salva- 
tion. Paul, at first, took no notice of her, not 
being willing to multiply miracles without ne- 
cessity ; but when he saw her following them 
several days together, he began to be troubled ; 
and in imitation of his great Master, who would 
not suifer the devil to acknowledge him, lest 
his false and lying tongue should prejudice the 
truth in the minds of men, commanded the 
spirit, in the name of Je sus, to come out of her. 
The devil whh reluctance obeyed, and left the 
damsel immediately. 

As this miraculous cure proved a great loss 
to her masters, who acquired large gains from 
her soothsaying, they were filled with malice 
and envy against the apostles ; and, by their 
instigation, the multitude arose, and, seizing 
upon Paul and his companions, hurried them 
before the magistrates and governors of the col- 
ony ; accusing them of introducing many in- 
novations which were prejudicial to the state, 
and unlawful for them to comply with, as be- 
ing Romans. The magistrates being concern- 
ed for the tranquillity of the state, and jealous 
of all disturbances, were very forward to pun- 
ish the offenders, against whom the whole mul- 
titude testified ; and therefore commanded tlie 
officers to strip them, and scourge them severe- 
ly, as persons who stirred up seditions. 

The sentence was accordingly executed ; af- 
ter which the apostles were committed to close 
custody, the gaoler receiving more than ordi- 
nary charge to keep them safely ; and he ac- 
cordingly thrust them into the inner prison, and 



made their feet fast in the stocks : but the most 
obscure dungeon, or the pitchy mantle of the 
night, cannot intercept tlie beams of divine joy 
and comfort firom the souls of such pious men. 
Their minds were all serenity, and at midnight 
they prayed and sung praises so loud, that tiiey 
were heard in every part of the prison : nor 
were their prayers oftered to the throne of grace 
in vain ; an earthquake shook the foundations 
of the prison, opened the doors, loosed the 
chains, and set the prisoners at liberty. This 
convulsion of nature roused the gaoler from his 
sleep ; and concluding from what he saw, that 
all his prisoners were escaped, was going to 
put a period to his life ; but Paul observing 
him, hastily cried out, Do tliyself no harm, for 
zoe are all here. The keeper was now as great- 
ly surprised at the goodness of the apostles, as 
he was before terrified at the thoughts of their 
escape ; and calling for a light, he came im- 
mediately into the presence of the apostles, fell 
down at their feet, took them from the dungeon, 
brought them into his own house, washed their 
stripes, and begged of them to instruct him m 
the knowledge of that God who was so mighty 
to save and deliver. 

The gaoler's request was readily granted by 
St. Paul, who replied. That, if he believed in 
Jesus Christ, he might be saved, with his 
whole house. Accordingly, the gaoler, with 
all his family, were, after a competent instruc- 
tion, baptized, and received as members of the 
church of Christ. How happy a change 
does the doctrine of the gospel make in the 
minds of men ! How does it smooth the rough- 
est tem.pers, and instil the sweetest principles 
of civility and good-nature into the minds of 
men ! He who, but a few moments before, 
tyrannized over the apostles with the most cru- 
el usage, now treats them with the greatest re- 
spect, and the highest marks of kindness he was 
capable of shewing. 

When it was day, the magistrates, either 
hearing what had happened, or reflecting on 
what they had done as too harsh and unjusti- 
fiable, sent their serjeant to the gaoler, with 
orders to discharge tlie apostles. The gaoler 
joyfully delivered the message, and bid them 
depart in peace : but Paul, that he might make 
the magistrates sensible what injury they had 
done them,, and how unjustly they had punish- 



AND LIVES OF 

cd tliem without examination or trial, scut them 
word, that as they had thought proper to 
scourge and imprison Romans, contrar}- to tlie 
laws of the empire, he expected they should 
come themseh es, and make them some satis- 
faction for tlic ilicgiJ treatment they had re- 
ceived. 

This message tenified the magistrates, who 
Avell knew how dangerous it was to pro^'oke 
tlie formidable power of the Romans, ^yho ne- 
ver suffered any freeman to be beaten uncon- 
demned ; they came therefore to the prison, 
and xery submissi\-ely entreated the apostles to 
depart w ithout any further disturbance. This 
small recompenee for the cruel usage they had 
received was accepted b}- the meek follo\^ ers 
of the blessed Jesus ; they left the prison, and 
retired to tlie house of Lydia, Avhere they com- 
forted their bretliren with an account of their 
deliverance, and departed; having laid the 
foundation of a^•ery eminent church, as appears 
from St. Paul's epistle to the church at Philippi. 

Paul and his companions lea%ing this city, 
continued iheir journey to^vards the West, till 
they came to Thessalonica, the capital of yia- 
cedonia, about an hundred and t\A-enty miles 
from Philippi. On their arrival at Thessaloni- 
ca, Paul, according to his custom, went into 
the s-vmagogue of the Jews, and preached unto 
his countrymen ; the ungi-atefiil usage he had 
met with in otlier places, not ciiscouraging him 
fi-oni persevering in so glorious a work. His 
doctrine, howe^•cr, A\-as sti-enucusly opposed 1 y 
the Jews, who would not allow Jesus to be 
the Messiah, because of the ignominious death 
which he had suffered. 

The apostles, during their stay at Thessalo- 
nica, lodged in the house of a certain Chi-istian 
named Jason, who entertained them very cour- 
teouslv. But the Jews would not suHer the 
apostles to continue at rest ; they refused to 
embrace tlie gospel themselves, and therefore 
envied its success, and determined to oppose 
its progress ; accordingly, they gathered to- 
gether a great number of lewd and wicked 
^'^Tetches, who beset the house of Jason, in- 
tendino- to take Paul, and deliver him up to an 
incensed multitude ; but in this they wci-e dis- 
appointed, Paul and Silas being removed from 
thence by the Cmistians, and concealed in some 
other part of tht cit}'. Their l^ary, however, 
NO. 13. 



HIS APOSTLES. 2&9 

was rather exasperated vha;i lessened at lcsL".g 
their pre}" ; i iid, as they could not find the 
apostles of the blessed Jesus, they determined 
to be revenged on Jason, ^\ ho had concealed 
them. Accordingly, they seized on liim and 
some others of tlie Ijrethren, and carried them 
before the magisti-atcs of the cit}', accusing 
them, as they had before done the apostles them- 
selves, at Philippi, of disturbing the peace of 
the empire, and setting up Jesus as a king, in 
derogation of the emperor's dignity and author- 
ity. This accusation induced both people and 
magistrates to be their enemies ; and though 
Jason was only accused of harbouring those in- 
no^•ators, yet the magistrates could not be pre- 
vailed upon, to dismiss him and his compan- 
ions, till they had gi^ en security for their ap- 
peai-ance w hen called upon. 

"When the tumult ^mis over, the Thessalo- 
nians, who had been converted by them, sent 
VLWs.y Paul and Silas b}" night to Beroea, a cit}- 
about lift}- miles south of Thessalonica, but 
out of the power of their enemies. Here also 
Paul's great love for his countiymen, tlie 
Jews, and his earnest desire for their salvation, 
excited liim to preach to them in particular : 
accordingly, he entered into their svnagogue, 
and explained the gospel imto them, proving 
out of the Old Testament the tnith of the doc- 
trines he advanced. These Jcavs were of a 
more candid and ingenuous temper than those 
of Thessalonica ; and as they heard him with 
great re%'erence and attention expound and ap- 
ply the scriptures, so the}- searched diligently, 
M'hether his proofs were proper and pertin.ent, 
and consonant to the sense of the texts he re- 
ferred to : and ha^ ing found cyery thing to be 
agreeable to what Paul had advanced, many of 
them believed ; and se^'eral Gentiles, following 
their example, became obedient to the faidi, 
amongst ^^■hom were several \\ omen of qualit}-. 
The news of this remarkable success Avas cai-- 
ried to Thessalonica, and gready incensed the 
inA cterate enemies of the gospel there ; who 
accordingly repau^ed to Beroea, and raised tu- 
mults ag-ainst the apostles ; so diat Paul, to avoid 
their fuiy, Awas forced to lea\ e the town ; but 
Silas and Timothy, either less knoAAn, or less 
envied, continued still in the place. 

LeaA'ing Bercea under the conduct of certain 
guides, it Avas pretended tliat Paul desig^ied to 

4 A 



290 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



retire by sea out of Gt'eece, that his restless 
enemies might cease their persecution : but 
the guides, according to his desire, brought 
him to Athens, and left him there, after receiv- 
ing fi-om him an ord;"r for Silas and Timothy 
to repair to him as soon as they conveniently 
could. 

At this time Athens was the most famous 
academy of all Greece, and abounding with 
philosophers, illustrious for tlieir learning.... 
Amongst the several sects that now flourished 
at Athens, the Stoics and Epicureans were the 
most remarkable for their opposition to Chris- 
tianity. The Epicureans, because they found 
their pleasant and jovial humour, and their 
loose and exorbitant course of life, so greatly 
checked and controlled by the strict imd severe 
precepts of the gospel ; and because the doc- 
trines of it so plainly and positively asserted a 
Divine Providence, governing the world, and 
which at the last day, will reward or punish 
every man according to his works. The Stoics, 
on the other hand, though pretending to prin- 
ciples of great and uncommon rigour and se- 
verity, and such as had the nearest affinity to 
the doctrines of the gospel, yet they found them 
very difterent in practice. That meek and 
humble temper of mind, that modesty and self- 
denial, which the gospel so earnestly recom- 
mends, and so strictly requires, were directly 
opposite to the immoderate pride and ambition 
of that sect, who were not ashamed to affirm, 
that their sages and philosophers, were not in- 
ferior to God himself, in wisdom. 

During Paul's abode at Athens, expecting 
the arriv al of Silas and I'imoth}^ he walked up 
and dov/n, to take a more accurate survey of 
the city, which he found miserably over run with 
superstition and idolatry. The inhabitants 
were remarkably religious and devout : they 
had a great number of gods whom they adored ; 
false, indeed, they were, but such as they, be- 
ing destitute of revelation, accounted true : 
and so very careful were they, that no deity 
should want due honour from them, that they 
had an altar iacribed, TO THE UN K NO IV N 
GOD. A great variety of reasons are gi\ en 
for this inscription : some affirm, tliat it was 
the name which the Pagans generally gave to 
the God of the Jews : but others thiiik, that 



besides the unknown God, it included all the 
gods of Asia, Europe, and Africa. 

The spirit of the apostle was grieved at these 
superstitious practices : he lamented to see so 
much zeal and devotion misplaced ; and flat- 
tered himself, if he could but direct it to its pro- 
per object, it would be of eminent service to the 
church of Christ. Accordingly, he exerted 
all his strength for their conversion ; disputing 
on the sabbath days in the synagogues of the 
Jews ; and at other times took all opportunities 
of preaching to the Athenians, the coming of 
the Messiah, to save the world from sin and 
misery. 

The apostle's doctrine was equally new and 
strange to the Athenians ; and though they did 
not persecute him as the Jews did, yet his 
preaching Jesus was considered by tlie Epicu- 
rean and Stoic philosophers, as a fabulous le- 
gend ; and by the more sober pait, as a disco- 
very of some new gods, which they had not yet 
placed in their temples : and though they were 
not unwilling to receive any new deities, yet 
as the Areopagus, the supreme court of the 
city, was to judge of all gods, to whom public 
worship might be allowed, they brought him 
before those judges, to giv e an account of his 
doctrine in their hearing. 

Being placed before the judges of this high 
assembly, St. Paul readily gave them an ac- 
count of his doctrine, in a grave and elegant 
speech ; wherein he did not tell them they were 
horrible and gross idolators, lest he should of- 
fend them, and thereby prevent them from lis- 
tening to his reasons ; but, having commended 
them for their religious dispositions, he took 
occasion from the altar inscribed, TO THE 
UNKNOWN GOD, to make a proper de- 
fence of his doctrine. " I endeavour, said he, 
only to explain that altar to )'ou, and manifest 
the nature of that God A\'hom ye ignorantly 
worship ; which is the God that made the m orld, 
and all things therein ; and w ho being Lord of 
all, dwells not in temples made with hands, nor 
is to be worshipped in lifeless idols. As he is 
the Creator of all things, he cannot be confined 
to the workmanship of man, whether temples 
or statues ; nor stands in need of sacrifices, 
since he is the fountain of life to all things.... 
He made from one common original the whole 
race of mankind, and hath wisely determined 



AND LIVES OF 

their dependence on him, that they might be 
obliged to seek iifter him and serve him. A 
truth perceivable in the darkest state of igno- 
rance, and acknowledged by one of your own 
poets. If this be the nature of God, it is sure- 
ly the highest absurdity to represent him by 
any image or similitude. The divine patience 
hath been too much exercised already, with 
such gross abuses in religion ; but now expects 
a thorough reformation, having sent his son 
Jesus Christ to make him knovvTi to the 
world, and at the same time to inform them, 
that he hath appointed a day of general judg- 
ment, when the religion of mankind shall be 
tried by the test of the gospel, before his only 
begotten Son, who is appointed sole judge of 
quick and dead, and whose commission to that 
high office hath been ratified by the Almight}', 
in raising him from the dead, by his almighty 
power." 

He had no sooner mentioned the resun-ec- 
tion, than some of the philosophers mocked 
and derided him ; others, more modest, but 
not satisfied with the proofs he had given, 
gravely answered, JVe icould hear thee again 
of this matter. After m hich, Paul depiuted 
from the court ; but not without some success : 
for a few of liis auditors believed, and attended 
his instructions ; amongst Vv horn were Dion} '- 
sius, one of the judges, and D.imaris, thought 
by some to have been his wife. And it is 
generally believed, that Dionysius M^as after- 
wards constituted the first bishop of Athens, by 
this apostle. 

"WT^iile St. Paul remained at Athens, Timo- 
thy, according to the order he had received, 
came to him out of Macedonia, and brought 
an account, that the CluistiLms at Thcssalonica 
were under persecution from their fello^\"-citi- 
zens, ever since his departure : at which St. 
Paul was greatly concerned, and at first inclin- 
ed to visit them in person, to confirm tliem in 
the faith they had embraced ; but being hin- 
der^d by the enemies to the gospel, he sent 
Timothy to comfort them, and put them in 
mind of what they had at first heard, namely, 
that persecution would be the constant atten- 
dant on their profvission, 

St. Paul left Adiens on Timothy's depar- 
ture, and travelled to Corinth, a very populous 
place, and xkmu Ub lOr its ti ude . Ikre he found 



HIS APOSTLES. 291 

Aquila, and Priscilhihis ^\ ife, lately come from 
Italy, after having Ix-en banished from Rome 
by a decree of Claudius ; and they L<.ing of 
the same trade he himself had leaned in his 
youth, he wrought with them, that he might 
not be burdensome to the new converts in that 
city. 

The apostle after some stay in Corinth, was 
joined by Silas and Timothy, and disputed 
frequently in the s}'nagogue, reasoning iuid 
proving that Jesus was the true Messiah. — 
This exasperated the Jews to tlie greatest de- 
gree, and w^hat they could not conquer by ar- 
gument and force of reason, they endeavoured 
to carry by noise and clamour, blended with 
blasphemies and revilings ; the last refuge of 
an impotent and baffled cause. But St. Paul, 
to testify his resentment, shook his garment, 
and told them, that since they were determined 
to pull down the vengeance of hea\'en upon 
their o\^ n heads, he \vas absolutely guiltless and 
innocent, and would henceforth address him- 
self to the Gentiles : accordingly he left them, 
and repaired to the house of Justus, a religioub 
proselyte, where, by his preaching and mira- 
cles, he converted great numbers to the fiith ; 
amongst which were Crispus die chief ruler of 
the synagogue, Gains, and Stephanus, who 
vv ith their families v/ere baptized, and admit- 
ted members of the church of Christ. 

Inasmuch as the constant returns of malice 
and ingratitude are sufficient to tire the lai gest 
charity, and cooi the m.ost generous resolution ; 
our dear Redeemer, thereiore, that the apostle 
might not be discouraged by the restless at. 
tempts and machinations of his enemies, ap- 
peared to him in a vision, and told him, that 
notwithstanding the bad success he had hith- 
erto met with, there was a large harvest to be 
gadiered in that place ; that he should not be 
afraid of his enemies, but preach the gospel 
bodily and faidifully, for that he himself v. ould 
protect and presers'e him fi-om e^ erj- danger. 

St. Paul seem.s about this time to have w rit- 
ten his first Epistle to the Thessulonians, Silas 
and Timothy being lately returned I'rom thence, 
and delivered the message for ^ hich he had 
sent them tliither. The principle design of this 
Epistle is, to confirm them in the belief of the 
Christian religion, and excite them to perse- 
vere in it, notv itli^tanding all the mpJicc of their 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRBT 



592 . 

enemies, in the persecutions they must expect 
to suffer ; and to instruct them in the duties of 
their hi^h vocation. 

During these transactions, the malicious Jews 
were plotting his destruction : but being for some 
time disappointed, their malice changed into fu- 
ry, and they hurried the apostle before the 
tribunal of Gallio, elder brother to the famous 
Seneca, and proconsul of the province, accus- 
ing him of being an innovator in religion, and 
of endeavouring to introduce a method of Avor- 
shipping God contrary to the law. Paul was 
ready to have made his defence ; but Gallio 
prevented him by telling his accusers, that if 
he had been guilty of an injustice, he would 
have heard their complaint and redressed their 
grievance ; but as it was nothing but a contro- 
versy about words and names, he would have 
nothing to do with it. But the Jews continu- 
ing their clamour, he commanded his officers 
to drive them from the tribunal ; which was 
accordingly done, and some of the townsmen 
seized upon Sosthens one of the rulers of the 
synagogue, and beat him before the judgment 
seat, the proconsul giving himself no concern 
about it. Thus were the designs of the apos- 
tle's enemies rendered abortive ; and Paul con- 
tinued, without any further opposition , to preach 
the doctrine of the gospel during a year and a 
half, when he left the church at Corinth, to vi- 
sit others he had planted in different parts of 
the East. 

While the Apostle continued at Corinth, he 
MTOte his second Epistle to the Thessalonians, 
to supply his absence. In this Epistle he again 
endeavours to confirm their minds in the truth 
of the gospel, and prevent their being shaken 
with those troubles, which the wicked and un- 
believing Jews would be continually raising 
against them. And because some passages in 
his former Epistle relating to the destruction 
of the Jews, had been misunderstood, as if the 
day of the Lord was near at hand, he rectifies 
these mistakes, and shews the sign that must 
precede our Lord's coming to judgment, in the 
latter days. 

Leaving the church at Corinth, St. Paul 
took ship at Cenclirea, the port at Corinth, for 
Syria, taking a\ ith him Aquila and PrisciUa ; 
and on his arrival at Ephesus, he preached a 
while hi the synagogue of the Jews, promising 



to return to them after keeping tjie passoA^er at 
Jerusalem. Accordingly, he again took ship, 
and landed at Cassaria, and from thence travel- 
led to Jerusalem, where he kept the feast, vis- 
ited the church, and then repaired to Antioch : 
here he stayed some time, and then traversed 
the countries ©f Giilatia and Phiygia, till he 
came to Ephesus, confirming tlie new convert- 
ed Christians. 

While the apostle was taking this large cir- 
cuit. Providence took care of the churches of 
Ephesus and Corinth, by means of one Apol- 
los, an eloquent Jew of Alexandria, and well 
acquainted with the law and writings of the 
prophets. This man coming to Ephesus, 
though he Avas only instructed in the rudiments 
of Christianity, and John's baptism ; yet he 
taught with great courage, and a most power- 
ful zeal. After being fully instructed in the 
faith by Aquila and PrisciUa, he passed over 
into Achaia, being furnished with recommen- 
datory letters by the churches of Ephesus and 
Corinth. He was of the greatest service in 
Achaia, in watering what Paul had planted, 
confirming the disciples, and powerfully con- 
vincing the Jews, that Je s us was the true Mes- 
siah, promised in the Scriptures of the Old 
Testament. 

Leaving Apollos thus usefully employed, St. 
Paul returned to Ephesus, where he fixed his 
abode for three years, bringing with him Gains 
of Derbe, Aristarchus a native of Thessalonica, 
Timotheus and Erastus of Corinth and Titus. 
The first thing he did after his arrival was to 
examme certain disciples, whether they had 
received the Holy Ghost since they believed ? 
To which they answered, " That the doctrine 
they had received, promised nothing of that 
nature ; nor had they ever heard that such an 
extraordinary spirit had of late been bestowed 
upon the church . ' ' This answer surprised the 
apostle, who asked them in what name they 
had been baptized ; since, in the Christian form; 
the name of the Holy Ghost was always ex- 
pressed ? They replied, that they had only re- 
ceived John's baptism ; which, though it en- 
joined men to repent, yet mentioned nothing 
expressly concerning the Holy Ghost, or iti 
gifts or powers. Upon which the apostle in- 
formed them, that though John's baptism com- 
manded nothing but repentance, yet it tacitly 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



593 



implied the whole doctrine of Christ aiidthc 
Holy Ghost. When they heaixl this, they were 
baptized according to the form prescribed by 
Cii R 1ST himself, that is, in the name of the bles- 
sed Trinity ; and after the apostle had pra} ed 
and laid his hands upon them, they received 
the gifts of tongues and other miraculous pow- 
ers. 

St. Paul, after this, entered into the Jewish 
synagogues, where for tlie first three months, 
he contended and disputed with the Jews, en- 
deavouring with gi-eat earnestness and resolu- 
.tion to convince them of the truth of the Clu'is- 
tian religion. But when instead of success he 
met widi nothing but obstinacy and infidelity, 
he left the synagogue, and taking those widi 
him whom he had con\'erted, instructed them 
and others who resorted to him, in the school 
of one Tyrannus, a place where scholai's used 
to be instructed. In this manner he continued 
to preach the gospel two whole years ; by which 
means the Jews and proselytes of the ^\"hole 
proconsular Asia had an opportunity of hearing 
the glad tidings of salvation. And because 
miracles are the cleai'est evidence of a diA ine 
commission, the Almighty was pleased to rec- 
tif}' the doctrine v/hich St. Paul delivered by 
amazing and miraculous operations, many of 
which were of a peculiar and extraordinary na- 
ture ; for he did not only heal those that came 
to him, bvit if napkins or handkerchiefs were 
only touched by him, and applied to the sick, 
their diseases immediately vanished, and the 
evil spirits departed out of those whom they had 
possessed. 

The apostle about tliis time WTOte his Epis- 
tle to the Galatians ; for he had heai'd that since 
his departure, corrupt opinions had crept in 
-amongst them, with regai-d to the necessit}- of 
observing the leg-al rites ; and that se\'eral im- 
postors had found admittance into that church, 
who knew no better method of underm.ining 
the doctrine he had planted there, than b}- \ ili- 
fying his person, slighting him only as an apos- 
tle at second hand, not to be compared with 
Peter, James, and John, who had familiarly con- 
i versed with Christ in the days ofliis flesh, 
and being immediately deputed by him. 

In this Epistle he reproves them with some 
aecessary severit\% for their being so soon led 
out of the right way, wherein he had placed 
No. 13. 4B 



them) and so easily suffered themselves to \j€ 
imposed upon by the criifty artifices ofsedu- 
cers. He vindicates the honour of his apos- 
tleship, and the immediate receiving his com- 
mission from Christ, wherein he shews, that 
he was not inferior to the \ ery best of the apos- 
des. He largely refutes those Judaical opin- 
ions that had tainted and infected them ; and, 
in the conclusion, insti'ucts diem in the rules 
and duties of a holy life. 

While St. Paul resided at Ephesus, an ac- 
cident happened which was attended with great 
trouble and danger. In this city was the celebra- 
ted temple of Diana, a structure so magnificent 
for beauty, riches, and magnitude, that it was 
reckoned one of tlie seven v. ondersof the world : 
but ^vhat increased its fame and reputation was, 
an image of Diana kept there, which the idol- 
atrous priests persuaded the people was made 
by Jupiter himself, and dropt down from hea- 
^'en ; for which reason it was held in great 
veneration, not only at Ephesus, but through- 
out all Asia : so that people procured silver 
shrines, or figures of this temple, of such a 
size as to carry in their pockets, either for cu- 
riosity, or to stir up their devotion. This 
proved the source of a gi'eat deal of business to 
the silversmiths of Ephesus, of whom one De- 
metrius was the chief : this man plainly per- 
ceiving, that Christianity tended to the subver- 
sion of idolatry, and, consequently, to the ruin 
of their gainful employment, called all the art- 
ists together, and padietically represented to 
them, " How inevitably they must be reduced 
to a state of po^'ert^'■, if they suffered Paul to 
bring their temple and goddess into contempt, 
by persuading people, as he did, that they were 
no gods, which were made by the hands of 
men." 

On hearing this speech of Demetrius, the 
people were fired with a zeal w hich tliey could 
no longer contain ; so that tliey cried out with 
one voice, Great i.i Diana of the Ephesians. 
They should, indeed, have considered, that if 
their goddess was able to defend herself against 
the doctrines preached b}' Paul, neither she nor 
die temple A\'ere in any danger : ^^"hereas, if 
Paul was able to destroy their gods, it was in 
^'ain for them to resist him : but interest and 
superstition meeting in the minds of a bigotted 
multitude, admitted of no reason ; diey were 



294 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



all fired with a zeal for theii\ goddess, and de- 
termined, if they could find Paul, to expose 
him to the beasts in the theatre. The whole 
cit}^ was filled with the tumult, and the crowd, 
missing Paul, laid hold on Gains and Aristar- 
chus, two Macedonians of Paul's company, 
and hurried them into the theatre, with a de- 
sign to throw them to tlie wild beasts : Paul, 
who ^vas at present in a place of security, hear- 
ing of the danger to ^vhich his brethren were 
exposed, Avas very desirous of venturing after 
them, in order to speak in their behalf ; but 
was at last dissuaded from it, not only by the 
Christians, but also by the Gentile governors 
of the theatrical games, who were his friends, 
and assiu'cd him, that he "would only endanger 
himself, without rescuing his friends, or afford- 
ing them any assistance. 

The multitude were now prodigiously clam- 
orous and confused, most of them not knowing 
the reason for ^\'hich they were come together ; 
and, therefore, some cried one thing, and some 
another. In this distraction, Alexander, a Jew- 
ish convert, Vv as singled out by the multitude, 
and by the instigation of the Je^vs w^as going 
to make his defence, in which, doubtless, he 
would have laid the whole blame upon Paul : 
but the multitude percei-^ ing him to be a Jew, 
and therefore suspecting he was one of Paul's 
associates, raised another outcry for neai" two 
hours together, wherein nothing could be 
heard but Great is Diana of the Ephesians. 
This confusion brought the town-clerk, who 
kept the register of the games, into the theatre, 
to suppress, if possible, so uncommon a tu- 
mult ; aiid ha^dng, with greut difficulty, ob- 
tained silence, calmly and discreetly told them, 
" That the M"orld was sufficiently acquainted 
with the devotion paid by tlie Epliesiaas to the 
great goddess Diana, and the image %vhich fell 
down fi'om Jupiter ; and therefore it was abso- 
lutely needless for thern to publish it at that time ; 
that if Demetrius and b.i's fraternity had any 
thing to allege against Paul and his companions, 
the courts w&ct open, and they might bring 
their accusation against them; or, if they were 
questioned with regard to the breach of any of 
their laws, the cause oucrht to be heard in a 
regular assembly. That they would do well 
to consider this, and be quiet ; h.iving already 
j'endered themselves obnoxious to the displea- 



sure of the magistrates, if they should think 
proper to call them to an account for the txx- 
muit which they had that day occasioned." 
^ The multitude, on hearing this discourse, 
were convinced that they had acted very im- 
properly, and therelore repaired to their res- 
pective habitations ; and Gains, Aristarchus, 
and Alexander, were released without any hurt ; 
but the escape of Paul vvas so very remarkable, 
that he mentions it as a miraculous deliverance^ 
H e had, says he, the sa tence of death in our- 
selves, (hat zve should tiot trust in ourselves, but 
in God zvhieh raiseth the dead, who delivered us^ 
Jrom so great a deatli. And in another place 
he teiis US, he fought with beasts at Lphesus ; 
alluding, either to the design of the enraged 
multitude of throwing hmi to the wild beasts 
in the theatre, though their intention was not 
executed ; or to the manners of the people, 
who sufficiently deserved the character of being 
savage and brutal in the strictest sense ox the 
words. 

Paul about this time, was informed of some 
disturbances in the church ol Corinth, hatched 
and formented by a company of false teachers, 
crept in amongst them, who endeavoured to 
draw them into pailies and factions, by persuad- 
ing one company to be for Peter, another for 
Paul, and a third for Apolios ; as if the prin- 
cipal part of religion consisted in being of this 
or that denomination, or in a warm active zeal 
to depreciate and oppos e whoever is not of our 
own narrow sect. It is a very ^veak and slen- 
der claim, when a man holds his religion b}' no 
better title tlian his having joined himself to such 
or such a sect or congregation, and is remark- 
able zealous to promote it ; to be childishly 
and passionately clamorous for some person's 
particular mode of adm.inistration, or some 
particular opinion ; as if religion rather con- 
sisted in curious disputes, or in separating from 
our brethren, than in righteousii.ess, peace, and 
joy in the Holy Ghost. By these means, 
schisms and factions broke into the Corinthian 
church, whereby many wild and extravagant 
opinions, and some of them such as tended to 
undermine the fundamental articles of Christi- 
anity, were planted, and had taken root there. 
To cure these distempers, St. Paul wrote his 
first Epistle to the Corinthians, wherein he 
smartly reproves them for their schisms and 



AND LIVES OF 



HIS APOSTLES. 



parties, conjures them to follow after peace and 
unity, corrects those gross corruptions that 
hatl been introduced amongst them, and par- 
ticuiiu'Iy resolves those many cases iind contro- 
versies, wherein th^y had requested his advice. 

Apoiios soon alter determining to go to 
Crete together with Zenos, Si. Paul sent by 
them his Epistle to Titus, whom he had made 
bi^-hop oi that island, and had left there for pro- 
pag-ating tlie gospel. In this Epistle, he in- 
structs him tuiiv in the execution oi his office, 
how tQ behave himself, and what directions he 
should give to others, in the several relations 
and ranks of men, especially those who wtre 
to be advanced to places oi office and authori- 
ty in the church, amongst the Gentiles. 

The tumult at Athens had not long subsid- 
ed, before Paul called the Christians together, 
and took his leave of them with the most ten- 
der expressions of love and affection. He had 
now spent almost thi-ee years at Ephesus, and 
founded there a very considerable church, of 
which he had ordained Timothy the first bi- 
shop. He fii st tra^'elled al)out two hundred 
miles northward to Troas, before he took ship, 
expecting to meet Titus there : but missing 
him, he pursued hii voyage to Macedonia, 
\^'here, on his arriv al, lie preached tlie gospel 
m severed places, even as far as Iliyricum, now 
called Sclavonia. During this journey, he met 
with many troubles and dangers, ivithout were 
fightings, and zvilhin ivere fears : but God, 
Avho comibrteth those that ai'e cast do^m, re- 
vived his spirits by the arrival of Titus, Avho 
gave him a pleasing account of the good effects 
his Epistle had produced at Corinth. This 
worthy bishop came thither, Avith large contri- 
butions from that church, and from the exam- 
ple of those liberal Christians, St. Paul stirred 
up the Macedonians to imitate their charity, 
intending to assist the distressed Christians at 
Jerusalem, who were then in an indigent and 
persecuted state. 

While Titus contmued in Macedonia, Paul 
WTO^e his second Epistle to the Corinthians, 
and sent it to them by Titus and Luke. In 
thi ;, he endeavours to rectify ^^-hat his former 
Epistle had not effected, to vindicate his apos- 
tleshin fi-om that contempt and scorn, and him- 
self from those sliinders and aspersions, v/hich 
the seducers who found themselves lashed by 



his former letter, had cast upon him ; together 
with several other ptirticular cases, relating to 
the church. About this time also, he wrote 
his first Epistle to Timothy, \vhom he liad left 
at Ephesus, wherein he gives him large direc- 
tions ho\v to caiT}- himself in the discharge of 
that gi-eat office and authority in the church, 
committed to his care ; and instructs him in 
the particular qualifications of those he should 
make choice of as bishops and ministers in the 
church. He likewise gives him instructions 
with regard to his giving orders to deaconess- 
es, and instructing servants ; wio-ning liim at 
the same time, against that pestilent generation- 
of heretics and seducers, that would iu ise in 
the church after his departure. 

While Paul remained in Greece, he went 
to Corinth, A\"here he wrote his excellent Epis^ 
tie to the Romans, ^^ hich he sent by Piioebe, a 
deaconess of the church of Cenchrea, near Co- 
rinth. His principal intention in tliis Epistle 
is, fully to state and determine the great con* 
troversy bet^^ een the Jews and Gentiles, with 
regaj'd to the obligations of the rii.cs and cere- 
monies of the Jemsh law, and those principal 
and material points of doctrine, depending up- 
on it ; namely, Christian liberty, the use of 
indifferent things, and the like : and, A^liich is 
the chief intention of all religion, instructs theni 
and presses them, to perform the duties of a 
holy and pious life, such as the Christian doc- 
trine naturally recommc:ids and enforces. 

Being now determined to return into SyricT, 
in order lo convey the contiibutions to the 
brethren at Jerusalem, he set out on his jour- 
ney"; but being infonned, that the Jews had 
formed a design of killing and robbing him by 
the way, he returned back into iNIacedonia, and 
came to Philippi, from whence he went to 
Troas, where he stayed seven da}-s : here he 
preached to them on the Lord's day, and con- 
tinued his discourse till midnight, being him- 
self to depart in the moriiing. The length of 
his discourse, aiid time of the night, caused 
some of his audience to be overtaken with sleep, 
and amongst them a young man, n.,nied Eut}-- 
chus, v:\iO fell from the third story, and was 
ttilcen up dead ; but tlie apostle, b}- his prayer 
to the throiie of grace, presently restored him 
to life and health. How indefatig-able was the 
industry of this great apostle ! How closely dad 



296 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



he tread in the steps of his great master, who I 
went about doing good! He preached, and 
wrought miracles, in the name and by the power 
of Christ, wherever he came! As a master- 
builder, he either laid a foundation, or raised 
a superstructure ! He was instant in season and 
out of season, and spared no pains to assist the 
souls of men, by warning and persuading some, 
and confuting and establishing others. 

After having spent the night in holy exer- 
cises, St. Paul took his leave of the brethren 
in the morning, travelling on foot to Assos, a 
sea-port town, whither he had before sent his 
companions by sea : from thence they sailed 
to Mytilence, a city in the isle of Lesbos : the 
next day they sailed from thence, and came 
over against Chios, and the day following land- 
ed at Trogy Ilium, a promontory of Ionia, near 
Samos : the next day they came to Miletus, 
not putting in at Ephesus, because the apostle 
'was resolved to be at Jerusalem on the day of 
Pentecost, if possible. 

Arriving at Miletus, he sent to Ephesus, to 
summon the elders of the church, and on their 
coming, reminded them of the manner in which 
he had conversed amongst them ; how faith- 
fully and affectionately he had discharged the 
offices of his ministry, and how incessantly he 
had laboured for the good of the souls of men : 
adding, that he had never failed to acquaint 
them both in public and private, with whatever 
might be useful and profitable to them ; urg- 
ing both the Jews and Gentiles to repentance, 
and reformation of life, and a hearty entertain- 
ment of the faith of Ch r ist : that now he was 
going up to Jerusalem, \\ here he was ignorant 
of what might befal him, except what had been 
foretold him by those who were endued with 
the prophetical gifts of the Holy Ghost ; name- 
ly, that afflictions and imprisonment would at- 
tend him : but this gave him no concern, be- 
ing willing to lay down his life whenever the 
gospel required it, and fully determined to serve 
faithfully his great Lord and Master. " I well 
know^, continued he, that ye will see my face 
no more ; but for m}' encouragement and sa- 
tisfaction, ye yourselves can bear me witness, 
that I have not, by concealing any part of the 
Christian doctrine, betrayed your souls : and 
as for yoursehes, whom God hath made 
bishops and pastors of liis church, you should 



be careful to feed, guide, and direct those ChriS' 
tians under your inspection, and be infinitely 
tender of the welfare of souls, for whose re- 
demption the blessed Jesus laid down his own 
life. All the care, therefore, possible for you 
to use, is no more than necessary ; for after 
my departure, heretical teachers will appear in 
the church, to tlie great danger of the souls of 
men, seeking, by every crafty method, and per- 
nicious doctrine, to gain proselytes to their par- 
ty, and by that means fill the church of Ch r ist 
with schisms and factions. Watch ye, there- 
fore, and remember with what tears and sor- 
row I have, during three years, warned you of 
these things : and now I recommend you to 
the divine favoiu* and protection, and to the 
rules and instructions of the gospel, which, if 
adhered to, will undoubtedly dispose and per- 
fect you for that state of happiness which the 
Almighty hath prepared for good men in the 
mansions of eternity. You well know thatlhave 
from the beginning dealt faithfully and upright- 
ly with you ; that I have had no covetous de- 
signs, or ever desired the riches of other men ; 
nay, I have laboured with mine own hands, to 
support me and my companions ; you ought, 
therefore, to support the weak, and relieve the 
poor, rather tlian be yourselves chargeable to 
others, according to that incomparable saying 
of the great redeemer of mankind, // is more 
blessed to give tliaii to receive.''^ 

After having finished his discourse, St. Paul 
kneeled down, and joined them in prayer ; 
when they all melted into teai's, and with the 
greatest expressions of sorrow, attended him to 
the ship ; grieving in the most passionate man- 
ner for v/hat he had told them, that theysJwiild 
see his J ace no more. 

Departing from Myletus, Paul and his com- 
panions arrived at Coost, firom whence they 
sailed the next day to Rhodes, two islands in 
the iEgean sea. From whence they came to 
Patra, the metropolis of Lycia, where they 
went on board another vessel bound for Tyre 
in Phoenicia. On his arrival he visited the 
brethren there, and continued with them a 
week, and was advised by some of them, who 
had the gift of prophecy, not to go up to Jeru- 
salem; but the apostle would by no means 
abandon his design, or refuse to suffer any 
tiling, provided he might spread the gospel qf 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



297 



his Saviour, finding all persuasions were in 
vain, they all accompanied him to the shore, 
where he kneeled down and prayed with them ; 
and after embracing tliem with the utmost af- 
fection, he Vv'ent on board, and came to Ptole- 
mais, and the next day to Cesarea. Here Paul 
and his companions lodged in the house of 
Philip, the Evangelist, one of the seven deacons 
set apart by the apostles, and who had before 
converted the Samaritans. Philip had four 
daughters, all virgins, each of whom had a pro- 
phetic spirit. 

While they were in this place, Agabus, a 
Christian prophet, came thitlier from Judea, 
who taking Paul's girdle, bound his own hands 
and feet with it ; signifying by this external 
symbol, that the Jews \^ ould bind Paul in that 
manner, and deli\^er him to the Gentiles. 
Whereupon, both his own companions and the 
Christians of Cesarea, earnestly besought him, 
that he would not go up to Jerusalem ; but the 
■apostle asked them, if they intended by these 
passionate dissuasives to add more affliction to 
his sorrow ? Fur I am ready, continued he, 
not onhj to be bound, but also to die at Jerusa- 
lem, for tlie name of the Lord Jesus. When 
the disciples found that his resolution was not 
to be shaken, they importuned him no further, 
leaving the event to be determined according 
to the pleasure of the Most High. And all 
things being ready, Paul and his companions 
set forwards on their journey, and were kindly 
and joyfully received by the Christians at Jeru- 
salem, on their arrival. 

Paul and his companions, the next day after 
their arrival, went to the house of St. James 
the apostle, where the rest of the bishops and 
governors of the church were met together. 
After mutual salutions, the apostle gave them 
a particular account of the success with which 
God had blessed his endeavours in propagating 
Christianity amongst the Gentiles ; for v.hich 
they all joined in thanksgiving to God ; but 
withal told him, that he was now come to a 
place where there were many thousands of Jew- 
ish converts, who were all zealous for the law 
of Moses, and who had been informed, that he 
taught the Je^^s ^vhonl he had converted, to re- 
nounce ciixumcision, and the ceremonies of 
the law ; that as soon as the multitude heard 
of his arrival, tliey would all assemble to see 
NO. 13. 4 



how he behaved himself in this matter : and 
therefore, to prevent disturbance, they thought 
it adviseable for him to join himself with four 
persons, who were at that time to accomplish a 
vow, and perform the usual rites and ceremo- 
nies with them, and provide such sacrifices for 
them, as the law, in that case, required ; and 
that as a symbol of their dischiirging their vow, 
they might shave their heads ; whereby it 
would appear, that the reports that Vv ere spread 
concerning him were false and groundless, and 
that he himself still observed the rites and or- 
ders of the Mosaical institutions. But, with 
regard to the Gentile converts, they required 
no such observances at their hands, nor expect- 
ed any thing more from them in these indiffer- 
ent matters, than what had been before deter- 
mined in the synod formerly held at Jerusalem. 
St. Paul, who in such cases was wilUng to be- 
come all things to all men tliat he might gain 
the more, consented to their counsel ; and tak- 
ing the persons with him to the temple, told 
the priests that the time of a vow they had made 
being now expired, and having purified them- 
selves as the nature of their case required, they 
were come to make the offerings which the law 
enjoined. 

When the seven days, in which those sacri- 
fices were to be offered, were almost ended, 
certain Jews from A -.ia, finding him in the te ■^- 
ple, began to raise a tumult, and laying hold 
on Paul, called to their brethren the Jews to 
assist them, declaring that was the person 
who every where preached doctrines detrimen- 
tal to the Je\\ish nation, and destructive to the 
institutions of the law, and the purity of th ;,t 
sacred place ^^^hich he had now defiled, by 
bringing Greeks into the temple ; positively 
concluding, that because they had seen Tro- 
phimus, a Gentile convert, with him in the eit}', 
that he had also brought him into the tempie : 
so apt is malice to make any supposition in or- 
der to draw fi om thence its o^vn conclusion. 
This accusation, though absolutely false, set 
the whole city in an upi'oar, and seizing on the 
apostle, they dragged him out of the temple, 
when the doors -were immedi itcly shut, to pi e- 
vent his returning into that holy place : no. had 
they failed of soon putting a period to all his 
suffermgs and t'-oubles,had not Ca-idiubLysias, 
commander oi tlie Roman gai-nboa in tiie cas- 

C 



298 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



tie of Antonio, an-ived with a band of soldiers 
to his rescue, and supposing, from tlie great 
tumult of tlie Jews, that he was a more than 
ordinaiy malefactor, loaded him with a double 
chain, though he Avas as yet altogether igno- 
rant, either of his country, or the crime he 
Was accused of ; it being impossible to obtain 
any satisfactory answer from the multitude, 
who called for nothing but his death, following 
the soldiers in such a riotous manner, that they 
were forced to caiTy the apostle in their ai'ms, 
to secure him from the rage and violence of 
the people, who were ready to teai* him in 
pieces. 

While they were going in this manner to- 
wards the castle, Paul asked the governor, 
whether he might have the liberty of speaking 
to him ; who finding he understood the Greek 
language, inquired of him whether he was not 
that Egyptian, aaIio, a few years before, had 
raised a sedition in Judea, and headed a party 
of four thousand vile and profligate wretches. 
To which the apostle replied, that he was a 
Jew of Tarsus, a freeman of a rich and hon- 
ourable city, and tlierefore begged of him, that 
he mig!\t have leave to speak unto the people. 
This the Roman officer readily granted, and 
Paul, sfcuiding near the door of the castle, made 
signs that they should hold their peace, and be- 
gan to addi'ess them in the Hebrew language ; 

liich engaged them to listen with more atten- 
tion to the following extraordinaiy nan'ative : 

" Ye descendants of Jacob, listen to a per- 
son of yourovvn religion, and, like yourselves, 
a child of Abraham ; bom in Tarsus, and 
brought up inthiscit}', at the feet of Gamaliel, 
and fully instructed in the law delivered by 
Moses to our forefathers, and formerly as 
zealous for the temple worship as ye are at pre- 
sent. 

" Yea, more, I persecute unto death all who 
believed in Jesus, seizing on all I could find 
both men and women, and cast them into pri- 
son. This the high priest, and all our elders 
well know ; for from them I received a com- 
mission, and repaired to Damascus, to bring 
from thence to Jerusalem all the Christiims, in 
order to their undergoing an exemplary pun- 
ishment. But as I was pursuing my journey, 
to execute this commission, and being arrived 
neai" Damascus, there appeared, about mid-day, 



a light from heaven, shining found me with 

great brightness. 

" Being terrified at so awful an appearance, 
I fell to thegrouiid, and heard a voice saying 
unto me, iiauL, ■Saul, icliy j crsi^cutest Ihou me ? 
To which 1 answereu, (i ho uri Lhuu, Lord ? 
And the voice replied, / am Jesus o/ J\ azureth, 
whom thou perstcutest. 

" My companions, during this interval, 
Avere greatly terrified at the great light that sur- 
rounded me ; but they did not understand the 
words that were spoken from above. 

" As soon as I had recovered from the ter- 
ror with \A hich my mind was filled, on seeing 
Jesus so liighly advanced above all earthly 
power, I answered, IV hat shall I do. Lord? 
And he replied, Arise, and go into Damascus 
a7id there it shall be told thee of all tilings -which- 
are appointed for thee to do. 

" 1 was immediately deprived of sight by 
the brilliance of the glory that shone around^ 
me; so that my compwiions led me by the 
hand to Damascus, where one Ananias, a per- • 
son well respected by all the Jews of that city^ 
visited me, and said, Brother Saul, receive thy 
sight. And in a moment my eyes were open- 
ed, and I saw him standing before me. 

" Perceiving that my sight was restored, he 
said to me, ' The Almighty God of Abraliam, 
' Isaac, and Jacob, hath appointed thee to know 
' his will, to see the great Messiah, the Holy 
' One of God, and hear the voice ol his mouth ; 
' for thou art chosen to be a witness, to all the 
' nations of the eardi, of those surprising tilings 
' w irich thou hast seen and heard. Why there- 
' lore, tairyest thou here any longer ? Arise, 
' and be baptized, a7id wash aivay thy sins, calU 
' ing on the 7iame of the Lord.'' 

" In a short time alter this glorious vision^ 
and miraculous power of the Most Higli, when 
I was returned irom Dcimascus to Jerusalem, 
and offering up my prayers in the temple, 1 leU 
into a trance, and again saw the great Son of 
David, who said unto me, ' Depart quickly 
' Irom Jerusalem ; lor the sons of Jacob ill 
'• remse to believe tliy testimony concerning 
' me.' And 1 answered, ' Lord, they know 
' how cruelly I used tliy saints and ioliovi ers ; 
' that I imprisoned and beat them in every city, 
' and in every synagogue. iNJay, when they 
' shed the blood ox thy holy miatyr Stephen, I 



AND LIVES OF 

* was also one of the spectators ; I consented 
< to his death ; I even kept the raiment of those 
*th-itslew him.' But he replied, 'Depart: 

* I will send thee to couiitries far remote ; even 

* to the Gentiles, that thou mayest there speak 
' in my name, and publish to them my salva- 

* tion.' 

Till now the Jews had listened with some 
attention to his speech ; but, on his mentioning 
the commission he had recei\'^ed to preach the 
gospel to the Gentiles, their fury knew no 
bounds ; crying out, with one accord, Away 
with such a fellow from the earth ; he is un- 
worthy to be ranked amongst the race of mor- 
tals, or even to breathe the vital air. And as 
they thought words too weak to express their 
fury, they threw off their clothes, and filled the 
air v\ ith dust, mdicating their great desire of 
stoning him to death. 

At this instant a captain of the guard com- 
manded him to be brought A\uthin the castle, 
and that he should be examined by scourging, 
till he confessed the reason of the uncommon 
rage shewn against him by the people. Accord- 
ingly, the lictor bound him, and was going to 
put the orders he had received into execution, 
when Paul asked the centurion that stood by, 
whether it was lawful to scourge a citizen ot 
Rome, before any sentence had been passed 
upon him ? The centurion, instead oi ans^ er- 
ing the question, repaired immediately to the 
governor ; desiring him to Uike care how he 
proceeded against the prisoner, because he ^\'as 
a Roman. 

On this information, the governor himself 
came into the prison, and asked Paul Avhether 
he was really a fi-ee citizen of Rome ? And be- 
ing told he was, he answered, tiiat he himself 
procured that great privilege by a large sum of 
money: but Paul ai:!swered, I was free born. 
On receiving diis account, the governor com- 
manded the centurion not to scourge him, be- 
ing terrified at \vhat he had already done, in 
chairiing u fi-ee dcnizon of Rome. The next 
day, thereiore, he ordered his chiiins to be tii- 
ken off ; and that he might thoroughly satisi}- 
himstir oi the cause oi bO u.iusuid a tamuit the 
preceding day, summoned the Sarihech'im to 
meet, and biought clown Pcui before them, 
that they might iieai' ius deience. 



HIS APOSTLES*. 29S 

Being thus placed before the high council 
of the Jews, Paul told them, tktt in all the pas- 
sages of his life, he had taken care to govern 
his actions by the severest rules of duty and 
conscience : Men and brethren^ I luive lived m 
all good conscience before God, until this day.,.. 
How great is the security of a truly good man ! 
How strong, though invisible a support does 
innocence become in the greatest danger ! With 
how generous a confidence does virtue and ho- 
nesty guard the breast of a true professor of 
Cliristianity ! Nodiing else indeed, can lay a 
solid foundation for satisfaction and tranquillity, 
when any calamity overtakes us : religion and 
a good conscience fill die breast with a heaven- 
ly serenit}', a\ hich all the little accidents of this 
world can neither rufRe nor discompose. And, 
accordingly, Seneca compares the mind of a 
wise and good man to the state of the upper 
region, \\'hich is always calm and serene, though 
all around is tumult and confusion. 

However this expression of the apostle might 
tend to shew die true state of his mind ; the 
high priest Ananias was so offended at it, that 
he commanded those who stood next to him, 
to strike him on die face ; at ^vhich the aposdc 
smartly replied, God shall smite tJiee, thou whit-^ 
ed wall. Thou art placed on the seat of judg- 
ment, to determine accordmg to die law, and 
commandest me to be smitten in direct oppo- 
sition to its precepts. On m hich some of the 
spectators replied, it is not lawful to re\'ile the 
high priest of the Almighty. And Paul an- 
SA\ ered, I did not knov/ that Ananias ^vas ap- 
pointed b}- God to be an high priest ; but as 
he is invested with auihorit}-, it is unjust to re- 
vile him, God himself having commanded, diat 
no man should speak evil of the ruler of the peo- 
ple. St. Paul, now perceiving the council con- 
sisted pcUtiy oi Sadducees, and partly of Phar- 
isees, cried aloud, Menand brethren., I am 
a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee, and am now 
brought beloie this tribunal, ior asserting tlie 
resurrection Ironi the dead." This declai'a- 
tion direw the whole court into confusion ; die 
Pharisees being zealous patrons of that tenet, 
declared the prisoner innocent, and that in all 
probability he had received some intimation 
u om heaven by an angel, or the silent \\ hispers 
01 the Hoty Spirit ; and it so, ihey really fought 
iigmnst Onuiipoience limiseh, by opposing liis- 



300 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



doctrine. While the Sndducees, who denied 
tlie resuiTection, together widi the existence of 
either angel or spirit, strenuously insisted that 
the apostle M'as a turbulent person, and ought 
to be punished for his misconduct. 

Hereupon the council A\"as greatly divided, 
and their dissentions increased to that degree, 
that the captain feai'ed Paul would have been 
pulled in pieces by them, and therefore took 
him from the bai% and carried him back to the 
castle. But during the silence of the night, 
the great Redeemer of mankind, to comfort his 
faithful servant under all the terrors he had suf- 
fered the two preceding da}^s, appeared to him 
in a ^ ision, encouraging him to constancy and 
resolution, assuring him, that as he had borne 
witness of him at Jerusalem, he should, not- 
withstanding all the malice and wicked designs 
of his enemies, live to bear his testimony even 
in Rome itself, before the Gentiles. 

The Jews, whose envy and malice were in- 
creased by these dilatoiy proceedings, deter- 
mined, the next morning, to use a quicker 
method of putting a period to his life. In or- 
der to this, above forty of the most turbulent 
entered into a shocking confederacy of killing 
him ; ratifying it b)^ an oath, and the most bit- 
ter execration, that they Avould neither eat nor 
drink till they had put dieir inhuman design into 
execution : but such vile monsters would do 
well to remember, that a Being, from ■vv hose 
eye nothing can be concealed, and whose pow- 
er nothing can resist, is privy to all their ac- 
tions, often renders their designs abortive, and 
will surely punish them, for their base attempts. 
Accordingly, this design, tlioii gh probably con- 
cluded under the pitchy raaiitle of the night, 
was disco^^ered to St. Paul, by his sister's son, 
and, at the request of the apostle, told to the 
governor himself, who immediately command- 
ed tv/o parties of horse and foot to be ready 
bv nine o'clock that nidit, in order to conduct 
St. Paul to Felix, the Roman governor of that 
province, to v»diom also he sent an account of 
the whole proceedings of the Jews against the 
prisoner : and, at the same time, ordered his 
accusers also to app-ear before the Roman ma- 
gistrate : accordingly, St. Paul was conduct- 
ed to Antipatris, and afterwards to Cesarea, 
whrre the letters being delivered to Felix, the 
apostle was also presented to him ; and find- 



ing that lie belonged to the province of Cilicfa;, 
he told him, that as soon as his accusers were 
come down, he would determine the affair, and 
commanded him to be secured m the place call- 
ed Herod's Hall, till they should appear against 
him. 

Ananias the high-priest, with some others of 
the Sanhedrim, came to Cesarea, a few days 
after St. Paul's arrival, accompmiied by Ter- 
tullus their advocate, who, in a short, but elo- 
quent speech, adorned with all the flattering and 
insinuating arts of oratory, began to accuse the 
apostle, charging him with sedition, heresy, 
and the profenation of the temple : that they 
would have saved him the trouble of this hear- 
ing, by judging him according to their o^vn 
law, had not Lysias, the chief captain, violent- 
ly taken him from them, and sent both the pri- 
soner and thern to Cesai-ea, by a guard of sol- 
diers. 

The charge of the orator against the apostle 
being finished, Felix told St. Paul, that he was 
now at liberty to make his defence ; according- 
ly, lie distinctly ansAvered every part of the 
charge in tlie following manner. " I answer 
this chai ge of die Jews with greater satisfaction 
before thee, because thou hast for many years 
been a judge of this nation. About twelve > 
days since, I repaired to Jerusalem, to worship 
the God of Jacob : but I neither disputed with 
any man, or endeavoured to stir up the people in 
the synagogues or the city : nor can they prove 
the charge they have brought against me at tliis 
time. 

" However, I readily confess, that after the 
ivay -which they call heresy^ so worship I the 
God of my fathers, fii'mly believing every part 
of the wTitings of Moses and the prophets ; and, 
at the same time, believe, as they, themselves 
also do, that the Almighiy will raise at the last 
day, both the just and unjust from the dead ; 
and I am careful to m-aintain a clear and quiet 
conscience, both towards God and man, agree- 
able to this faith. 

" Having spent some years in distant coun- 
tries, I repaired to Jerusalem, with the alms I 
had collected in other provinces, for the poor 
of mine, own nation, and olTerings for die God 
of Jacob. And A'. hile I was performing the 
duties of religion, certain Asiatic Jews found 
me in the temple, puriiied according to the law; 



AND LIVES OF 

feu/i neither lafctoidocLwitti a multitwtle offoitow- , 
ers, ©r the least tumultuows assembly. It was 
therefore necess^iry that these icws shoukl have i 
been here, if they had any tiling to allege against 
me : jnay, I appeal to those of the Siinhedrim 
here present, if any tiling has been laid to my 
charge, except the objections of tlie Sadducees, 
who violently opposed me for asserting the doc- 
trine of the resurrection from the grave at the i 
last day." 

Having thus heard both parties, Felix refus- 
ed to pass any final sentence, till he had more 
fully advised about it, and consulted Lysias the 
governor of the castle, who was the most pro- 
per person to give an account of the sedition 
and tumult ; commanding in the mean time, 
that St. Paul should be kept under a guard, 
but at the same time enjoy the liberty of being 
visited by his friends, and receive from them 
any office of friendship and kindness they 
thought proper to bestow. 

Drusilla, a Jewess, and daughter of the elder 
Herod, who was also the wife of Felix, soon 
after this, came do^mto him at Cesarea, in 
whose presence the governor sent for Paul, 
and gave him leave to explain the docti'ines oi' 
Christianity. In this discourse, the apostle 
took occasion particularly to insist upon the 
great obligation which the laws of Christ lay 
upon men to justice and righteousness, to so- 
briety and Chastity : urging, at the same time, 
the true and impartial account that must be 
given at the judgment of die great day, when 
all men shall be arraigned before the awful tri- 
bunal of Omnipotence, for the actions of their 
past lives, and be eternally punished or reward- 
ed according to their works done in the body. 

This reasoning was wisely adapted to the 
state and temper of Felix ; but corrosives are 
very uneasy to a guilty mind : men naturally 
hate whatever brings their sins to remem- 
brance, and sharpens the sting of a violated 
conscience. But however disagreeable these 
truths may be, they cannot be heard without 
confusion; and accordingly, when St. Paul 
pathetically described the terrors of the last 
judgment, Felix trembled on his thi'one ; and 
was so greatly affected, tliat he caused the 
apostle to bi-eak off abruptly, telling him tiiat 
he v/ould hear the remainder of his discourse 
at a season more convenient than the present. 
No, 13, 4 



HIS APOSTLES. soi 

Certainly Fdix had sufficient i-eason to 
trcMible, a:nd liis conscience to be sensibly 
alarmed at these reflections ; for he was a man 
notoriously infamous for rapine and violence, 
Tacitus tells us, tkit he made his w ill die law 
of his government, practising all niMiner of 
cruelty and injustice : his incontinence, luxury, 
and debaucher}', was remarkable ; nor did he 
scruple to violate all the laws of God and man, 
to satisfy his unruly passions : to these cjUiili- 
ties lie added bribery and covetousness ; and, 
therefore, often sent for our apostle to discourse 
\\ ith him, expecting he \\ ould have given him 
a considerable sum for his release ; having, in 
all probability, heard that St. Paul had brought 
a large quantity of money to Jerusalem : but 
finding no offers were made him, either by the 
apostle himself, or his friends, he kept him pri- 
soner two years ; when he himself being dis- 
charged from his office by Nero, he left Paul 
in prison, in order to gratify the malice of the 
Jews, and engage them, after his departure from 
Judea, to speak the better of his government. 

After the displacing of Felix, the govern- 
ment of the province was conferred on Fortius 
Festus, before whom, at his first coming to 
Jerusalem, the high priest and Sanhedrim pre- 
ferred an indictment against Paul, desiring that 
he might be sent for up to Jerusalem, in order 
to his trial, intending to assassinate him by the 
way : but Festus told them, that he was short- 
ly going himself to Cesarea ; and that if they 
had any complaint against Paul, they might 
come down thither and accuse him. Accord- 
ingly, as soon as he \vas come to Cesarea, he 
ascended the tribunal, where the Je^ s renewed 
the charge they had before brought against 
Paul ; but the apostle soon cleared himself of 
every part of the charge, tliey not being able 
to prove any tlii:ig against him. Festus, how- 
ever, being willing to procure the favour of the 
Jews at his entrance on the government, asked 
him whether he ^^^ould go up and be tried be- 
fore him at Jerusalem ? But the aoosde well 
knoAving the consequences of such a proposal, 
answered, " I am a Roman, and therefore 
ought to be judged by the Roman law ; and 
now stand before the judgment seat of Caesar. 
I have done nodiing against the Je^\"s, a fact 
thou thyself very well knowest to be true. If 
I have committed anv thiniK tJiat desei vcs deatli, 
D 



302 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



1 am ready to die ; but if not, no person hath 
a po^^ er to deliver me into the Jiands of mine 
enemies....! appeal u?7to Casar.^' 

A]5peals of this nature were common amongst 
the Romans, and introduced to defend and se- 
cure the Hves and fortunes of the people from 
the unjust encroachments, and over-rigorou:: 
severities of the magistrates, whereby it was 
laAv^ul in cases of oppression to appeal to the 
emperor for redress ; a thing more than once 
settled by the sanction of the Valerian law, and 
now fully established. 

King Agrippa, who succeeded Herod in the 
tetrai-chate of Galilee, and his sister Bernice, 
came to Cesarea, some time after St. Paul had 
appealed to Caesar, to visit the new governor. 
Festus embraced this opportunity of mention- 
ing the case of our apostle to king Agrippa, to- 
gether with the remarkable tumult this affair 
had occasioned amongst the Jews, and the ap- 
peal he had made to Cassar. This account ex- 
cited the curiosity of king Agrippa, and he was 
desirous of hearing himself what St. Paul had 
to say in his own vindication. Accordingly, 
the next day the king and his sister, accompanied 
with Festus the governor, and several other 
persons of distinction, came into the court with 
a pompous and splendid retinue, where the 
prisoner was brought before them. On his 
appearing, Festus mformedthe court how great- 
ly he had been importuned by the Jews, both 
at Cesiu-ea and Jerusalem, to put the prisoner 
to death as a malefactor ; but having, on ex- 
amination, found him guilty of no capital crime, 
and the prisoner himself having appealed unto 
Ca£sar,he was determined to send him to Rome ; 
but was willing to have his cause debated before 
Agrippa, that he might be furnished with some 
material particulai's to send with him ; it being 
liighly absurd to send thither a prisoner with- 
out signifying the crimes laid to his charge. 

After Festus had finished his speech Agrippa 
told Paul, he was now at liberty to make his 
owndefence : and silence beinginade, he ad- 
dressed his speech paiticulai'ly to Agrippa in 
the following manner : 

" I esteem it a particular happiness, king 
Agrippa, that I am to make my defence against 
the accusations of the Jevv^s, before thee ; be- 
cause thou art weW acquainted vvidi all their 
vsustoms, and the questions commonly debuted 



amongst them : I therefore beseech thee to heai- 
me patiently and impartially. 

" The Jews in general ai'e well acquainted 
with my manner of life from my youth, the 
greatest part of it having been spent with mine 
own countrymen at Jerusalem. They also 
knew that I was educated under the institutions 
of the Pharisees, the strictest sect of our reli- 
gion, and am now arraigned for a tenet believ- 
ed by all their fathers, a tenet sufficiently ere- 
dible in itself, and plainly revealed in the Scrip- 
tures, I mean, the resurrection of the dead. 
Why should any mortal think it either incred- 
ible or impossible, that God should raise the 
dead to life ? 

" I once thought myself indispensably obhg- 
ed to oppose the religion of Jesus of Nazareth : 
nor was I satisfied with imprisoning, and pun- 
ishing with death itself, the saints I found at Je- 
rusalem ; I even persecuted them in strange 
cities, whither my implicable zeal pursued them^ 
having procured authority from the chief priests 
and elders for that purpose. 

" I departed accordingly for Damascus, with 
a commission from the Sanhedrim ; but as I 
was travelling towards that city, I saw at mid- 
day, O king, a light from heaven, far exceeding 
the brightness of the sun, encompassing me 
and my companions. On seeing this avv'ful ap- 
pearance, we all fell to the earth ; and I heard 
a voice, which said to me in the Hebrew lan- 
guage, Saul, Said, why persecutest thou me ? 
It is hard for thee to kick agaijist the pricks ? 
To which I answered, fVho art thou. Lord? 
And he replied, / am Jesus, whom thou perse- 
cutest : but be not terrified, arise from the 
earth ; for I have appeared unto thee, that thou 
mightest be both a witness of the things thou 
hast seen, and also of others which I will here- 
after reveal unto thee : my power shall deliver 
thee from the Jews and Gentiles, to whom now 
I send thee to preach the gospel ; to withdraw 
the veil of darkness and ignorance, to turn them 
from filsehood unto truth, and from the power 
of Satan unto God.. 

" Hereupon, king Agrippa, I readily obey- 
ed the heavenly vision ; I preached the gospel- 
first to the inhabitants of Damascus, then to 
those of Jeruscdem and Judea, and afterwards^ 
to the Gentiles ; persuading them, to Ibrsake- 



ANI5 LIVES OF 

tlieir iniquities, and turn to the living God, by 

sincere repentance. 

" Tiie Jews being exasperated at these en- 
deavours, to save the souls of sinful mortals, 
caught me in the temple, and entered into a 
conspiracy to destroy ine : but, by the help of 
Oamipotence, I still remain a witness to all the 
human race, preaching nothing but what Moses 
and ail the prophets ioretold ; namely, that the 
Messiali should sutFer, be the first that should 
rise from the chambers of the grave, and pub- 
lish both to the Jews and Gentiles, the glad 
tidings of Salvation. " 

After the apostle had thus pleaded for him- 
self, Festus cried out, " Paul, thou art mad; 
too much study hath deprived thee of thy rea- 
son." But Pciul answered, " I am far, most 
noble Festus, from being transported with idle 
and disti-acted ideas ; the words I speak are 
dictated by truth and sobriety : and I am per- 
suaded that king Agrippa himself is not igno- 
rant of these things : for they ^^-ere transacted 
openly before the world. I am confident, king 
Agrippa, that thou belie^ est the prophets : and 
tlierefore, must know that all their predictions 
were fulfilled in C h r i s x . " To which Agrip- 
pa answered, " Thou hast almost persuaded 
me to embrace the Christian faith." And 
Paul replied, " I sincerely wish, that not only 
thou, but also all that hear me, were not almost, 
but altogether the same as I myself, except being- 
prisoners." 

x\fter Paul had thus spoken, the king and 
die governor, wiiii the rest of the council, with- 
drew to confer privately together ; and finding, 
by the accusations brought against him, that 
he was not guilty by the Roman law, of any 
capital offence, nor even of such as desei-ved 
imprisonment, Agrippa told Festus, that he 
might have been set at liberty, if he had not 
appealed unto Caesar; but an appeal being 
once made, the judge had no longer any power 
either to absolve or condemn, the cause being 
entirely reserved to the cognizance of that su- 
perior, to Avhom the prisoner had appealed, for 
his own justification. 

As it was now finally determined that Paul 
should be sent to Rome, he, Avith several other 
prisoners of consequence, Avere committed to 
the care of Julias, commander of a company 
belonging to the legion of Augustus ; and was 



HIS APOSTLES. 503 

accompanied in this voyage by St. Luke, Aris- 
tiirchus, Trophimus, and some others, not 
meritioned by the sacred penman. 

In the month of September, 56, or, accord- 
ing to others, 57, they embarked on board a 
ship of Adramyttium, and sailed to Sidon, 
where the centurion courteous!}- gave the apos- 
tle leave to go on shore, to visit his friends, 
and refresh himself. After a short stay, they 
sailed for Cyprus, and arrived opposite the Fair 
Havens, a place near Myra, a city of L} cia.... 
Here the seascn being far advanced, and Paul 
foreseeing it would be a dangerous voyage, 
persuaded them to put in and winter there : 
but the Roman centurion preferring the opinion 
of the master of the ship, and the harbour be- 
ing at the same time incommodious, resolved, 
if possible, to reach Phoenice, a port of Crete, 
and whiter there. But they soon found them- 
selves disappointed ; for the fine southerly gale 
which had favoured them for some time, sud- 
denly changed into a stormy imd tempestuous 
wind, at North-East, which blew with such 
violence, that tlie ship was obliged to sail before 
it ; and to prevent her foundering, they threw 
over-board the principal part of her lading, to 
lighten the vessel. 

They continued fourteen da}'s in this des- 
perate and uncomfortable condition, neitlier 
sun nor star appearing ibr great part ot the time. 
During this confusion, tlie apostle put them in 
mind how preposterous!}' they had acted in not 
listening to his advice ; but, at the same time 
told them, that the God whom he served iuid 
worshipped, had the last night sent an angel to 
him, with assurance that, notwithstanding their 
present danger, not one of their lives should be 
lost, though the ship should be wrecked. 

When the fourteenth night arrived, the sai- 
lors, upon sounding, found the}' A'v-ere near 
some coast ; and, therelbre, to avoid the rocks, 
thought proper to come to an anchor, till the 
morning might give them better inlbrmation. 
in the mean time, the seameii, who best under- 
stood the danger, were preparing to get into 
the boat to save themselves ; which Paul per- 
ceiving, told the captain, that unless he}- all 
stayed in the ship, iiot one of them could be 
saved : whereupon the soldiers cut tlie ropes 
and let the boat laii into the sea, from the ship 



UFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



SOvl. 

• While sthej'- feorrttaued atMichca", waiting for r 
the light of tlie morning, St. Paul prevailed ! 
upon them to eat, and refresh themselves, hav- ' 
ing fasted a long time, assuring them that they 
should all escape. When they had finished 
their repast, they lightened the ship of those 
goods which still remained on board, and en- 
deavoured to put into a small creek they had ; 
discovered at a littie distance ; but falling into 
a place M^here two seas met, the ship rau; 
aground, the forepart remaining immovable, 
but the after part was demolished by the waves : 
aM^akened with the danger they were in, the 
soldiers were desirous of killing the prisoners, 
lest any of them should make their escape : but 
the centurion, wiUingto save Paul, refused his 
consent, commanding that every one should 
shift for himself in the best method he could. 
Accordingly, some by swimming, and others 
by broken pieces of the ship, they all, to the 
number of two hundred three score and sixteen, 
got to shore in safety. 

Agreeable to St. Paul's prediction, the coun- 
try on which they were cast, was an island called 
Melita, now Malta, situated in the Libyan sea, 
between Syracuse and Africa. Here they met 
with great civility from a barbarous people, and 
tlie plain acknowledgments of a divine justice 
written on the naked and uninstructed minds 
of men ; they treated them with great human- 
ity, entertaining them with all the necessary ac- 
commodations : but while St. Paul was laying 
a few sticks on the fire, a viper, enlivened by 
the heat, came from amongst the wood and 
fastened on his hand. On seeing this, the in- 
habitants of the island concluded, that he was 
certainly some notorious murderer, whom the 
divine vengeance, though it suffered him to 
escape the sea, had reserved for a more public 
and solemn execution : but when they saw him 
shake off the venomous creature into the fire, 
and no manner of harm ensue, tliey changed 
their sentiments, and cried out, that he was a 
God : so easily are light and credulous minds 
transpoitedfrom one extreme to another,accord- 
ing to the difference of occurrences. 

The residence of Publius, the governor of the 
island, was not far from tlie place where they 
were shipwrecked : he entertained this unfor- 
tunate company ^vith great hospitality for three 
days ; in acknowledgment of wliich, St. Paul 



by bis prayers, and -the imposidon of his hand% 
recovered his father from a fever and a bloody- j 
flux ; and restored several others of the inhab- * 
itants, afflicted with different dise-ases, to theii- ] 
former health and strength ; in consequence of* 
which, they not only shewed him the greatest 
marks of their esteem, but furnished both him 
and his company with all the necessaries p^o;- 
per for the rest of their voyage. 

After three months stay in tlus island, the 
centurion with his charge went on board the 
Castor and Pollux, a ship of Alexandria, bound 
to Italy. They put in at Syracuse, where they 
tarried three days, sailed thence to Regium, 
and so to Puteoh, where they landed; and find- 
ing some Christians there, staid at their request 
a week with them, and then set forward on their 
journey to Rome. The Christians of this city:, 
hearing of the apostle's coming, went to m&ct 
him as far as the Three Taverns, about thirty 
miles from Rome, and others as far as the Apii 
Forum, fifty-one miles distant from the capi- 
tal : they kindly embraced each other, and the 
liberty he saw the Christians enjoyedat Rome, 
greatly tended to enliven the spirits of the aposr 
tie. By these Christians he was conducted in 
a kind of triumph in the city, where, at their 
arrival, the rest of the prisoners were delivered 
to the captain of the guard, and by him dispos- 
ed in the common prison ; but St. Paul pro- 
bably by the intercession of Julius, was per- 
mitted to reside in a private house, with only a i 
soldier to guard him. 

St. Paul arrived at Rome, he sent, afiter he ; 

had been there three da) s, for the heads of the ; 

Jewish consistory in that city, and related to , 

them the cause of his coming, in the following , 

manner : " Though I have been guilty of no \ 
violence of the laws of our religion, yet I was 
delivered by the Je\^•s at Jerusalem to the Ro- 
man governors, who more than once would 
have acquitted me as innocent of any capital 

offence ; but by the perverseness of my perse- ; 
cutors, I was obliged to appeal unto Caesar ; 

not that I had any thing to accuse my nation , 

of : I had therefore recourse to this method^ ^ 

merely to prove mine own innocence, and con- | 

fute the allegations of my enemies. " ^ 

A popular prejudice being thus removed, f 

he added, " That the true cause of his suffer- ■ 
ings was what- tijeir own religion had taught 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



305 



liim, the belief and expectation of a future re- 
surrection." This speech gained greatly on 
their affections, and they answered, That they 
had received no advice concerning him, nor 
had any of the Jews that came from Judea 
brought any charge against him ; but, at the 
same time, they desired to know, what he had 
to say in support of the religion he had embra- 
ced, it being every ^v•here decried both by Jew 
and Gentile. Accordingly, upon a day ap- 
pointed, he discoursed M'itli them from morn- 
ing to night, concerning the religion and doc- 
trine of the holy Jesus ; proving, from the 
promises and predictions of the Old Testament, 
that he was the true Messiali : but his discourse 
had different effects on different hearers, some 
being convinced, and others persisting in their 
infidelity ; aiid as they ^veve departing in some 
discontent at each other, the apostle told them, 
it was too plain, that God had accomplished 
upon them the prophetical curse, of being 
left to tlieir own vv ilful hardiness and impe- 
nitency, to be blind at noon-day, and to run 
themselves headlong into iiTCcoverable ruin. 
That since this '\\ as the case, they must expect 
that he vv'ould henceforth preach to the Gentiles, 
^■ho would veiy readily embrace the glad tid- 
ings of the gospel, vv hich the}- so scornfully 
rejected. 

During two whole years, Paul dwelt at Rome, 
in a house he had hired for his own use ; 
wherein he constantly employed himself in 
preacliing and vvTiting for the good of the 
church. He preached daily without interrup- 
tion, and with remarkable success ; so that Ms 
imprisonment contributed gi-eatiy to the propa- 
gation of the gospel, and rendered Mm famous 
even in the Emperor's court, where he con- 
verted several to die faith of Christ. 

Besides others of the apostle's con-verts at 
Rome, there was one Onesimus, who had for- 
merly been a servant to Philemon, a person of 
distinction in Colosse, but had run away from 
his master, and taken with him some things 
of value. Having rambled as fai- as Rome, he 
was now converted by St. Paul, and by him re- 
turned to Ms master, with a short recommen- 
datory letter, earnestly desiring Mm to pardon 
Mm ; and, notwithstanding Ms former faults, 
to treat Mm kindly, and use him as a brother, 
promising witlial* diat if he had WTonged or 
No. 13. 4 



owed him any thing, he Mmself \\ ould repay 
it for him. 

St. Paul's Epistle on this subject may be 
considered as a master-piece of elo(]Ucncc, in 
the persuasive \\-ay ; for the apostle kis herein 
had recourse to all the considerations, which 
friendship, religion, piety, and tenderness, can 
inspire, to reconcile a master to his servant ; and 
yet some of the ancients were of opinion, that 
it did not deserve a place in the canon of Scrip- 
ture, because it was written on a piulicular oc- 
casion, and M'ith a design not so much to in- 
struct christians in general, as to recommend a 
poor fugitive servant : but though the subject 
of tMs Episde be a private affaii-, yet it contains, 
amongst others,the following general instruction 
J^irst, That no Christian, though in the mean- 
est condition, is to be contemned. Secondly^ 
That Christianit}^ does not impair the power of 
masters o\'er their servants. Thirdhj, That 
serv-ants ought to make satisfaction for any 
v\Tong or injur}' done to their masters. Fourth- 
ly, That masters ought to be reconciled to 
their servants, upon their repentance and ac- 
knowledgment of their faults. And, Fifthly^ 
That there is, at all times, a love and affection 
due from a master to a servant. Who, there- 
fore, would refuse to number an Epistle so 
profitable, and so instructive, with the rest of 
the works of this learned apostle ? 

The Philippians hearing of St. Paul's im- 
prisonment at Rome, and not knov\ ing vvhat 
straits he might be reduced to, raised a contri- 
bution for him, and sent it by Epaphroditus, 
their bishop, b}' w horn he returned an Epistle 
to them, v^iierem he gi\ es some account of the 
state of his affairs at Rome ; gratefull}' acknovv- 
ledges their kindness to Mm; warns them 
against the dangerous opinions which the Ju- 
diizing teachers began to vent amongst them ; 
and adv ises them to live in continual obechence 
to Christ ; to avoid disputations, delight in 
prav er, be courages under affliction, united in 
love, and clothed v\ idi humility, in iniitation of 
the blessed Jesus, who so fiu- humbled him- 
self, as to become obedient unto deotJi^ even the 
death of the cross, for the sins of men. 

The apostle had lived three }-eiirs at Ej^hasus, 
preacMng the gospel to the numerous itihabi- 
tants of that city, and was therefore well ac- 
quainted with the state and condition oi the 



306 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



place; so that taking the opportunity of Ty- 
chicus' going thither, he v^Tote his Epistle to 
the Ephcsiuns, wherein he endeavours to coun- 
termine the principles and practices boih of 
the Jews and Gentiles ; to confirm them in the 
belief and practice of the Christian doctrine ; 
and to instruct them fully in the great myste- 
ries of the gospel ; their redemption and justi- 
fication by the death of Christ ; their gratu- 
itous election ; their union with the Jews in 
one body, of which Christ is the head, and 
the glorious exaltation of that head, above all 
creatures, both spiritual and temporal ; togeth- 
er with many excellent moral precepts, both as 
to the general duties of religion, and the duties 
of their particular relations in life. 

Though St. Paul himself had never been at 
Colosse, yet Epaphras, who was then at Rome 
a prisoner with him, had preached the gospel 
there with good success ; and from him he 
might learn, that certain false teachers had en- 
deavoured to persuade the people, that they 
ought not to apply to God by Jesus Christ, 
who, since his ascension, was so far exalted 
above them, that angels were now become the 
proper mediators between God and man ; and, 
therefore, in opposition to this, as well as other 
seductions of the same nature, he wrote his 
Epistle to the Colossians ; wherein he magni- 
ficently displays the Messiah, and all the bene- 
fits flowing from him, as being the image of 
his Father, the Redeemer of all mankind, the 
reconciler of all things to God, and the head of 
the church, which gives life and vigour to all 
its members : he commends the doctrine 
preached to them by Epaphras, and exhorts 
them not to be led away by the reasonings of 
human philosophy, by the superstitious prac- 
tices of making differences of meats and drinks, 
or by a pretended humility in worshipping an- 
gels ; and gives them an abstract of many prin- 
cipal duties of the Christian life, especially such 
as respects the relations between husbands and 
wives, pai'cnts and children, masters and ser- 
vants, and other social and relative duties. 

We have no account in history, by what 
means St. Paul was delivered from his impri- 
sonment, and discharged from the accusation 
the Jews brought against him ; but it is natural 
to suppose, that not having sufficient proof of 
what they alleged, or bebg informed that the 



crimes they accused him of, were ho violations 
of the Romim law, thty durst not implead him 
beiore the Emperor, and so permitted him to 
be discharged of course : but by ^^hatever 
means he procured his liberty, he wTote his 
Epistle to the Hebrews belbre he left Italy, from 
whence he dates his srdutations to the Jewjish 
churches. ' % 

It is necessary to observe, that the principal 
design of this admirable Epistle, is to magnify 
Christ and the religion of the gospel, above 
Moses and the Jewish oeconomy, in order to 
establish and confirm the converted Jews in the 
firm belief and profession of Christianity, not- 
withstanding the troubl6r and persecutions that 
would certainly attend them. He therefore re- 
presents our Saviour in his divine iplature, as far 
superior to all angels, and all created beings ; 
and in his mediatorial capacity, ^as a greater 
priest than Aaron, and a greater king and 
priest than Melchisedec : he shews diat the ce- 
remonies, the sacrifices, and the observances- 
of the law could have no virtue in themselves, 
but only as they were the types of Jesus 
Christ ; and bemg now accomplished in his- 
person, were finally and totally abolished : he 
insists on the necessity of faith ; and by the 
examples of the patriarchs and prophets, proves 
that justification can be procured no other way, 
than by the merits of a dying Saviour : and^ 
lastly, he mingles many excellent precepts for 
the regulation of their lives ; exhortations to 
put trust and confidence in Christ, in all their 
sufferings ; and strict cautions against apostacy 
from his religion in the hottest persecutions 
from their enemies. 

St. Paul having thus discharged his ministry, 
both by preaching and writing in Italy, prose- 
cuted his long- intended journey into Spain, ac- 
companied by Timothy ; and, according to the 
testimony of several writers, crossed the sea, 
and preached the gospel in Britain. What 
success he had in these western parts, is not 
known ; he hoAvever, continued there eight or 
nine months, and then returned again to the 
East, visited Sicily, Greece, and Crete, and 
then repaired into Judea. 

How long he continued in his native coun- 
try, is unknown, no further mention being 
made of him, till his return to Rome, Mhich 
Vt^as probably about the eighth or ninth year of 



AND LIVES OF 



HIS APOSTLES. 



"Nero's reign. Here he met with Peter, and 
was, together with him, thrown into prison, 
doubtless in the general persecution raised 
against the Christians, under pretence tliat they 
had set fire to the city : but besides this gene- 
ral, there were particular reasons for his impri- 
sonment. Some of the ancients say, he was 
engaged with St. Peter in detecting the impo- 
sitions of Simon Magus. 

St. Chrj sostom tells us, that Nero was liighly 
enraged against St. Paul, for his having con- 
verted one of his favourite concubines; and the 
apostle, after he was thrown into prison, per- 
sisting, to persuade that lady to continue in her 
chaste and pious resolutions, Nero command- 
ed him to be put to death. How long he re- 
mained in prison, is uncertain ; nor do we 
know whether he was scourged before his ex- 
ecution : he was ho\\ ever, allowed the privi- 
lege of- a Roman citizen, and therefore be- 
headed. 

As he was led to the place of execution, he 
is said to have converted tliree of the soldiers 
sent to guard and conduct him, and who soon 
after became martjTs to the faith. Being come 
to the place, which was the Aquas Sah iee, three 
males from Rome, he cheerfully, after a solemn 
preparation, ga\'e his neck to the fatal stroke ; 
and from this vale of misery, his spirit passed to 
the blissful regions of immortality, to the king- 
dom ox his beloved Master, the great Redeemer 
of the human race, in the propagation of whose 
gospel, he had so long and faithfully laboured. 

His mortal part was buried in the Vie Ostien- 
sis, about two miles fi-om Rome ; and about 
the year 317, Constantine tlie Great, at the in- 
stance of Pope Sylvester, built a stately cluu ch 
over his grave, adorned it with an hmidi'ed 
marbie colunms, and beautified it \\ iih the most 
exquisite workmanship : but this church be- 
ing thought too smah ibr the honour of so great 
on ..postle, Vaientinian, by a rescript to Saus- 
tius, prefect of die city, caused it to be taken 
down, and a much lai'ger structure to be erect- 
ed, which was finished ufr cr his dcatli by Theo- 
.dosius ; iuid lurcher iDc^utified, at the persua- 
sion of Leo, bishop of Rome, by die empress 
Piacida. 

According to Nicephorus, St. Paul was of 
m low and small stature, somewhat stooping ; 
his complexion was lair 5^ his countenance grave. 



his head small, his eyes sparkling, his nose high 
and bending, and his hair thick and dark, but 
mixed with gre}'. His constitution was weak, 
and often subject to distempers : but how mean 
soever the cabinet might be, there was a trea- 
sure within precious and valuable, as will suffi- 
ciently appear, if we view the accomplishments 
of his mind. 

His judgment was clear and solid, his under- 
standing quick, and his memory strong and 
clear ; all w hich were greatly improved by art, 
and the advantages of a liberal education. The 
schools of Tarsus and Jerusalem had sharpened 
liis discursive faculty, by logic and the arts of 
reasonmg, instructed him in the institutions of 
philosophy, and adorned his mind w ith every 
kind of human learning. A sufficient proof, 
that it is not unlawful to bring the spohs of 
Eg\-pt into the serv ice of the sanctuary ; and 
to make use of die advantages of foreign stu- 
dies and human literature to divine and excel- 
lent purposes. He seems indeed to have been 
educated pm-posely to qualify him for being 
the apostle of the Gentiles, to contend with and 
confute the grave and the w ise, the acute and 
subtle, the sage and the learned of the heathen 
^vorld, and to '\\ ound them w ith arrows from 
theu' own quiv ers. He seldom made use of 
learning and philosophy ; it being more agree- 
able to the designs of tlie gospel, to confound, 
by the plam doctrine c: the cross, the wisdom, 
and learning of the world. 

Though these w ere great accomplishments, 
yet tliey were only a shado^v of that divine tem 
per of mind he enjoyed, and w hich discovered 
itself thi'ough the w hole course of his life. He 
was humble to the lowest step of abasement Jind 
condescension, none ever thinking better of 
others, or more meanly of himself. And 
though, when he had to deal w ith en\ ious and 
malicious adversaries, who endeavotrred, by 
^ ilifying his person, to obsti^uct his minisTj". 
he knew how to magnify his office, and to let 
them know that he was not inferior to the chief- 
est of the apostles ; yet, at odier times, he aU 
w ays declaied to die world, tliat he considered 
himself as an abortive, or an untimely buth, as 
the least cf the apostles, not meet to be called art. 
apostle ; and, as ii diis w ere not enough, he 
formed a word on pui-pose to express li»s hu- 
t niihty, stj-ting himself Eiathistoteron, f/K?;\ 



S08 



LIFE OF JESas CHRIST 



the Wast vf the saints ; nay, the very chief of 
shiners. 

How freely and frequently does he confess, 
that, before his conversion, he was a blasphem- 
er, a persecutor, a person that injured both God 
and man : though honoured with the highest 
grace and favour, taken up to an immediate 
convvrse with God in heaven, yet he never 
shcM^ed the least loftiness over his brethren ; he 
was intrusted with the gi-eatest power and au- 
thority in the church, but never affected to gov- 
"crn the faith of men ; he only endeavoured to be 
an helper of their joy. How studiously did 
he decline all the honours and commendations 
that were heaped upon him ; when some in the 
church of Corinth magnified him, and, under 
the patronage of his name, began to set up for 
a party, he severely reoiiked them, told them 
that it was Christ, not he that was crucified 
for them ; that they had not been baptized into 
his name, nor did he remember to have baptiz- 
ed above three or four of them, and was hear- 
tily glad he had no oftener performed the cere- 
mony, lest a foundation might have been laid, 
from that circumstance, for charging him with 
Judaizing. 

St. Paul's temperance and sobriety were re- 
markable ; for he- often abridged himself of the 
convenience of lawful and necessary accommo- 
dations : his hungerings and thirstings were 
frequent ; by which means he reduced the ex- 
travagancy of the sensual appetites to a perfect 
subjection of the law of reason. Hence he ea- 
sil}" got above the world, with all its charms 
and frowns, and his mind was continually con- 
versant in heaven, where his thoughts were fix- 
ed, and whither his desires always ascended. 
What he taught to others, he practised him- 
self ; his conversation was in heaven, and his 
desires were to depart, and to be with Christ. 
This world neither arrested his affection nor 
disturbed his fears : he was neither pleased 
with its applauses, nor terrified with 'tsthreat- 
enings: he studied not to please men, nor va- 
lued the censures they passed upon him : he 
"was not greedy of a gi*eat estate, titles of ho- 
nour, or rich presents from men ;^food and 
raiment was his bill of fare, and more than this 
he never cared for ; accounting, that the less he 
was clogged with these things, the lighter he 
should pass to heaven, especially as he Avas 



travelling through a world, oveiTun with trou- 
bles and persecutions. And hence it is very 
probable, that he always led a single life, though 
some of the ancients rank him amongst those 
apostles who were maiTied. 

No less exemplary M ere his kindness and 
charity ; for he had a compassionate tenderness 
for the poor, and a quick sense of the wants of 
others. To what church sover he came, it was 
always one of his first cares to make provision 
for the poor, and to stir up the bounty of the 
rich and wealthy ; nay, he himself worked of- 
ten with his own hands, not only to maintain 
himself, but also to help and relieve them : 
but his charity to the souls of men was infin- 
itely greater, fearing no dangers, refusing no 
labours, going through good and evil report, 
that he might gain men over to the knowledge 
of the truth, bring them out of the crooked 
paths of vice and idolatry, and place them in 
the straight way that leadeth to life eternal : 
nay, so insatiable was his thirst for the good of 
souls, that he affirms that he M^ould sooner 
himself be accursed from Christ, than that 
his countrymen should miscarry. And as he 
Avas infinitely solicitous to gain them over to 
the religion of the Son of God, so he was equal- 
ly careful to keep them from being seduced 
from it ; ready to suspect every thing that 
might corrupt their minds, from the simplicity 
that is in Christ : I am Jealous over t/ou, says 
he, to the church of Corinth, with a godhjjea- 
lousij : an affection of all others, the most active 
and vigilant, and which inspires men with the 
most passionate cai'e and concern, for the good 
of those for whom they have the highest degree 
of love and kindness. 

Nor was his charity to men greater than 
his zeal for God, labouring with all his 
might, to promote the honour of his master. 
How remarkably zealous was he while he 
continued a member of the JcM'ish religion, 
of the tradition of the fathers ! How earnest 
to vindicate and assert the divinity of the 
Mosaic dispensation, and to persecute all who 
were of a contrary faith, even to rage and mad- 
ness ! And when his zeal\\'as afterwards turn- 
ed into a right channel, it ran with a swifl cur- 
rent, carrying him out against all opposition, to 
vanquish the kingdom and the po\^ ers of dark- 
nessj to beat doAvii idolatry, and plant tlie world 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



309 



With the rigiit ripprehensiors of God, and the 
true knowledge of religion. When at Athens 
he saw them involved in the grossest supersti- 
tion and idolatr}-, and giving the honour that was 
due to God alone, to statues and images, this 
fired his zeal, and he could not but let them 
know the resentment of his mind, and how 
greatl}' they dishonoured God, the great maker 
and preserver of the world. This zeal must 
have rendered him remai'kably diligent and in- 
dustrious in the execution of his office, wiu-n- 
ing, reproving, entreating, persuading, preach- 
ing in season and out of season, by night and by 
day, by sea and by land ; he tliought no piiins 
too much to be taken, no dangers too great to 
be overcome. 

For thirty-five years after his conversion, he 
seldom staid long in one place, travelling from 
Jerusalem through Arabia, Asia and Greece, 
to Illyricum, to Rome, and to the utmost 
bounds of the AACstem world, preaching the gos- 
pel of Christ. Running, says St. Jerom, fi-om 
ocean to ocean, like the sun in the heavens, of 
which it is said, his circuit is from the one end 
of the heaven to the other, sooner A\ antirig 
gi-ound to ti-ead on than a desire to propagate 
the fiiith of Christ. Nicephorus compares 
him to a bird in the air, w hich, in a fe^v years, 
fie^v round the world : Isidore, to a a\ inged 
husbandman, who flew from place to place to 
culti\ate the world with the most exact rules 
and institutions of life. And while the other 
apostles confined themselves, as it were, to one 
spot, choosing this or that particular province 
and place for their ministry, St. Paul over-i-an 
the \A^hole world to its utmost bounds and cor- 
ners, planting all places where he came, ^vith 
tiie divine doctrines of the gospel. Nor in this 
course was he tired with the dangers and diffi- 
culties he met with, tlie troubles and opposi- 
tions that were raised against him ; but all these 
served only to reflect a greater lustre on his 
patience ; of which he was a most eminent 
pattern, enduring the greatest troubles and per- 
secutions, widi a patience triumphant and un- 
conquerable. 

Tliis will easily appear if we take a survey 
of what tiials and sufferings he underwent ; 
some part whereof are thus briefly summed up 
by himself : In labours abundant, in sffipes above 
^asure, in prisons frequent^ in deaths oJ\; thrice 
No. 13. 4 



beaten -with rods, once stoned, thrice suffered, 
shipwreck, a night and a clay in the deep : in 
joumeyings often, in perils of water, in perils by 
his country me)i, in perils by the Heathen, in perils 
in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in 
thesea,in perils amongst fiUebrethren: in weari- 
ness, in painfulness, in watcliings often, in hunger 
and thirst : in fastings often, in cold and ncked- 
ness ; and besides those t/inigs that were with- 
out, xvhich daily came upon him, the care of all 
the churches. An account, though ve.ry gi'cat, 
yet fai' short of w hat he endured. All \\ hich 
he cheerfully underwent with a soul as calm 
and serene as the morning sun : no malice or 
rage, nor fury or storms, could ruffle or discom- 
pose his spirit : nay, they animated him to rise 
-up with the greater eagerness and resolution to 
perform his duty. Could all the powers of men 
and devils, spite and opposition, torments and 
threatenings, have been able to baffle him out 
of that religion he had embraced, he must have 
deserted his station : but his soul was steeled 
with a courage and resolution that was impen- 
etrable ; and on which no temptation, either 
from hopes or fears, could make any more im- 
pression, than an arrow shot against a wall of 
adamant. 

He did not want solicitations botli from Jews 
and Gentiles ; and might, doubdess, in some 
measure, have made his own terms, would he 
have been false to his trust, and quitted that 
way which was then everj- where spoken against. 
But, alas ! these things weighed little with our 
apostle, who counted not his life dear unto him, 
so that he might fnish his course with joy, and 
the ministry xvhich he had received of the Lord 
Jesus ; and therefore, A^ hen he thought himself 
under the sentence of death, could triumphantly 
say, I have fought a good fght, I have finished 
my course, I have kept the faith. In short, he 
was a man. in w hom the divine life eminently 
displayed itself ; he lived piously and devor.tly, 
soberly and temperately, justi}" and righteously ; 
cai'eful always to keep a conscience void of of- 
fence both toTi-ards God and man. This, he tells 
us, w-as liis support under all his sufferings ; 
this the foundation of liis confidence toA\ iU'ds 
God, and liis firm hopes of happiness in anoth- 
er world. This is our rejoicing, the testimony 
of our comciaicef tliat in simplicity and godly 



LIFE OF JESUS CHmST 



310 

sincerity xve have had our conversation in the 
■world. In short, as the love oi this great apos- 
tle to his divine Master knew no bounds, so 



the beauty and energy of his writings, as Well 
as his sufferings in support of the truth he es- 
poused and inculcated, are beyond example. 



THE LIFE OF ST. JAMES, 

THE APOSTLE SURNAMED THE GREAT. 



THIS apostle was a native of Galilee, born, 
in all probability, either at Capernaum or 
Bethsaida, as he was a partner with Simon Pe- 
ter in the fishing trade. The epithet of Great 
was given him, to distinguish him from anoth- 
er apostle of the same name. 

He was the son of Zebedee, a fisherman, who 
kept several servants to carry on his trade, and 
therefore must have been a person of some 
consequence in his way. His mother's name 
was Mary, sumamed Salome, the daughter of 
Cleophas, and sister or ratlier cousin-german to 
Mary the mother of our Loi'd ; so that he had 
the honour of being a near relation to Christ 
himself. Jle was brought up to the trade of 
his father ; a mean occupation, indeed, in the 
eye of the world, but no employment is mean 
that is honest and industrious ; and it should 
be remembered that the Son of God himself 
stooped so low, as to become the reputed son 
of a carpenter, and during the retirement of his 
private life laboured himself at his father's 
trade ; not merely devoting himself to contem- 
plations, nor withdraAving fi^om all useful socie- 
ty with the world, and hiding himself in the 
solitudes of an anchoret, but busying himself 
4n an active course of life, as he continually went 
about doing good to the souls and bodies of 
mankind. 

Not in the least discouraged at the meanness 
of his father's trade, St. James applied himself 
to it with remarkable assiduity, and was exer- 
cising his employment when the Saviour of the 
world passing by the sea of Galilee, saw hiin 
with his brother in the ship, and called them 
both to be his disciples. Nor was the call in 
vain ; tli-cy cheerfully complied with it, and 



immediately left all to follow him : they did 
not stay to dispute his commands, or solicitous- 
ly inquire into the minute consequences of the 
undertaking, the troubles and dangers that 
might attend this new employment ; but read- 
ily delivered themselves up to perform what- 
ever service he should call them to. 

He was called soon after this fi-om the station 
of an ordinary disciple, to the apostolical office, 
and even honoured with some particular fa- 
vours beyond most of the apostles, being one 
of the three whom our Lord made choice of^ 
as his companions in the more intimate trans- 
actions of his life, from which the rest were ex- 
cluded. Thus, with Peter and his brother 
John, he attended his Master when he raised 
the daughter of Jairus from the dead ; he was 
admitted to Christ's glorious transfiguration 
on the mount, and heard the discourses that 
passed between him and the great ministers 
fi-om the courts of heaven ; and when the holy 
Jesus was to undergo his bitter agony in the 
garden, as preparatory sufferings to his passion^ 
James was one of the three taken to be a spec* 
tat or of thern. 

It is not easy to determine what reasons in* 
duced the Redeemer of mankind, to admit those 
three apostles to peculiar acts of favour ; though 
he doubtless did it for wise and proper ends. 
Whether he designed these tliree to be more 
solemn and peculiar witnesses of some remark- 
able transactions of his life, than the other 
apostles ; or that they would be more eminent- 
ly useiiil and serviceable in some parts of the 
apostolic office ; or to encourage them thereby 
to prepare for the sufferings that would attend 
tliQm in the ministry ; or whether he designed 



AND LIVES OF 

them for some more eminent kinds of martyr- 
dom than the rest of his disciples. 

It was not the least instance of particular 
honour that our Lord conierred on these apos- 
tles, w hen he ciiiled them to the apostolate, that 
he gave tlitm a new name and title. A thing 
not uncommon of old, for the Almighty often 
imposed new names on persons, when he in- 
tended them for some great and peculiar ser- 
vices ai:id employments ; instances of this we 
have in Abraham and Jacob. Accordingly, 
our Lord, attlie election of these three apostles, 
gave them new names : Simon he called Peter ^ 
or a rock ; aiid James and John, Boanerges, or 
the sons of thunder. What our Lord intend- 
ed by their surnames, is much easier to con- 
jecture than determine ; some think it was 
given them on accomit of their being present 
in the mount, when a voice came out of die 
cloud, saying. This is my beloved Son, Ssfc. for 
when the people hecU"d the same voice at anoth- 
er time, they said, " It thundered." But this 
observation is in itself very mconsiderable, be- 
cause it was equally applicable to Peter as to 
them. Others diink that it was given them on 
account of their loud and bold preaching the 
gospel to the world, fearing no threatenings, 
despismg all opposition, and going on thunder- 
ing in the ears of a drowsy and sleepy world ; 
rousing and a^^'akening the consciences of men, 
\nth the earnestness and vehemence of their 
preaching, \\hich resembled thunder, as the 
voice of God powerfully shakes the natural 
world, and breaks in pieces the cedars of Le- 
banon. Others think it relates to the doctrines 
they delivered, teaching the great mj steries of 
the gospel in a more profound and loftier strain 
than the rest. 

How far the latter opinion might be true 
with regard to St. James, the scriptures are 
wholly silent ; but it was certainly verified in 
his brother John, whose gospel is so full of the 
more sublime notions and mysteries of the 
gospel, concerning the divinity, pre- existence, 
&c. of Christ, that he is generally affirmed 
by the ancients to thunder rather tiian speak. 
Perhaps the expression mi.y denote no more 
than that in genend they were to be prime and 
eminent ministers in this new state ol" thmsrs ; 
the introducing the gospel or evangehcal dis- 
pensation, being called " a voice shaking the 



HIS APOSTLES. 311 

heaven and the earth," aiid therefore exactly 
correspondent to the native importance oi the 
word, signifying an earthf/uake, or a vehement 
commotion, that, like thunder, makes an alarm- 
ing noise. 

However this be, our blessed Saviour doubt- 
less by this term, alluded to die furious and- 
resolute dispositions of those two brothers, 
who seem to have been of a more fiery temper 
than the rest of the apostles, of w hich we have 
this memorable insUmce. When our Lord 
^vas determined on his journey to Jerusitlem, 
he sent some of his disciples beibre him to 
make preparations for his coming; but, on 
theu' entering a village of Samiu-ia, were rudely 
rejected, from the old grudge that subsisted 
between the Samaritans and the Jew s, and be- 
cause our Saviour, by going up to Jerusalem, 
seemed to slight their place of T\ orship oa 
mount Gerizem. 

This piece of rudeness and inhumanity-, was 
so highly resented by St. James and his broth- 
er John, that they came to Jesus, desiring to 
know if he \vould not imitate Elias, by calling 
down fire from heaven, to consume this barba. 
rous, inliospitable people. So apt arc men^ 
for e\'ery trifling provocation, to call upon 
hea^'en to revenge them on the aggressors, 
according to the exti'avagancies of their o^vn 
unreasonable passions ! But the holy Jesus 
soon convinced them of their mistake, by 
telling them, that he was come to Sin e the 
lives of the children of men, and not to des- 
troy them. 

We have no account from sacred histor}' , 
what became of St. James after the ascensioa 
of his great and beloved blaster. Sophronius 
tells us, that he preached to the dispersed Jews,, 
that is, to diose converts who were dispersed 
after the death of Stephen. The Spanish w Ti- 
ters will have it, that after preaching the gos- 
pel in several pai'ts of Judca and Samaria, he 
visited Spain, where he planted Christianity, 
and appointed some select disciples to perfect 
w hat he had begun ; but if we consider die 
shoi-tness of St. James' life, and tliat the apos- 
tles contLnued in a body at Jcrusiilem, even af- 
ter the dispersion of the other Christians, we 
shall find it difficult to allow time sufficient for 
so tedious and difficult a voyage as that w as, in 
tliosc eoi'ly ages; and therefore, it is safest to 



'fe VLT'E OF JE! 

confine his ministiy toluflea, and the countries 
bordering upon it. 

We learn from profane history, that Herod 
Agrippa, son of Aristobukis, and grandson of 
Herod the Great, had been a great favdurite 
both with the emperor Cahgula, and his suc- 
cessor Claudius, who conferred on him his 
grandfather's kingdoms, and sent him into 
Judea. Herod was noble and generous, pru- 
dent and politic, thoroughly versed in all the 
arts and intrigues of a court ; he knew how to 
oblige his enemies, and mollify or avert the 
displeasure of the emperor. He was of a cour- 
teous and affable disposition ; but at the same 
time, a great zealot of the Jewish religion, and 
a very accurate observer of the Mosaic law.... 
This prince, at his arrival in his new kingdom, 
thought there M'as no surer way of ingratiating 
himself into the favour of the populace, than 
by persecuting the Christians, M-hom he knew 
the Jews detested. Accordingly, he began a 
violent persecution ; but the commonalty be- 
ing too mean a sacrifice to satisfy his own zeal, 
and favour his popular designs, he laid hands 
on St. James, whose active temper and vigor- 
ous manner of contending for the truth and ex- 
cellency of the Christian religion, rendered him 
a proper victim at this time. 

The same zeal which animated Herod to lay 
hands on St. James, also prompted him to pass 
sentence of death on him immediately. As 
he was led to the place of execution, die officer 
that guarded him to the tribunal, or ratlier his 
accuser, having been converted by that remark- 
able courage and constancy shewn by the apos- 
tle at the time of his trial, repented of M'hat he 
had done, came and fell down at the apostle's 
feet, and heartily begged pardon for what he 
had said against him. The holy man, after re. 
covering from the surprize, tenderly embraced 
him. "Peace," said he, " my son, peace be 
to thee, and the pardon of thy faults." Upon 
which the officer publicly declared himself a 
Christian, and both were beheaded at the same 
time. Thus fell the great apostle James, the 
first protomartyr of the apostles^ the first of that j 



CHRIST 

number tliat gained the crown, taking cheer- 
fully that cup, of which he had long since told 
his Lord he was ready to drink» 

However, the divine vengeance, that nevef 
sleeps, would not suffer the death of this inno- 
cent and righteous man to pass long unreveng- 
ed; for shortly after the martyrdom of St. James, 
Herod removed to Cesarea, in order to make 
war on the neighbouring Tyrians and Sidoni- 
ans : and while he continued in this city, he 
proclaimed solemn fights and festival entertain- 
ments to be held in honour of Caesar, to which 
there flocked a prodigious confluence of the 
principal inhabitants of the adjacent parts. 
Early in the morning of the second day, he came 
with great state into the theatre, to make an ora- 
tion to the people ; and being clothed in a robe 
curiously wrought with silver, the beams of the 
sun were reflected from it with such lustre, 
that the people cried out, that it was some dei- 
ty they beheld ; and that he who spake to them, 
must be something above the common stan- 
dard of humanity. 

This impious applause Herod received with- 
out the least token of dislike, or sense of the 
injury that was done by it to the Supreme Be- 
ing. But a sudden accident changed the scene^ 
and turned their mirth and rejoicing into mel- 
ancholy and mourning: for Herod, looking up, 
saw an owl perched upon a rope over his head^ 
which he considered as the fatal minister of his 
death ; on which an incurable melancholy seized 
his mind, and the most exquisite torments his 
bowels, occasioned by those worms St. Luke 
mentions ; so that turning to the people, he 
cried out, " Behold the deity you admired, 
and yourselves evidently convinced of flattery 
and falsehood ; see me this moment condemn^ 
ed by the laws of fate to die, whom just now" 
you styled immortal." He M^as removed into 
the palace, but his pains still increased upon 
him : and though the people fasted, and offered 
prayers for his life and health, yet his acute tor- 
ments prevailed, and after five days put a pe- 
riod to his life. 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



313 



THE LIFE OF ST. JAMES, 

THE APOSTLE SURNAMED THE LESS. 



BEFORE we enter upon the lifc of this 
apostle, it will be necessary to remove 
■some difficulties relating to his person. It has 
been doubted b}- some, whether this was the 
same \\ ith that St. James, who was afterwards 
bishop of Jerusalem, two of this name being 
mentioned in the sacred writings, namely, St. 
James the Great, and St. James the Less, both 
apostles ; the ancients mention a third, sur- 
named the Just, which they will have to be dis- 
tinct from the former, and bishop of Jerusalem : 
but this opinion is built on a sandy foundation ; 
for nothing is plainer than that St. James die 
apostle, whom St. Paul calls our Lord^s brother, 
and reckons v. ith Peter and John, one of the 
pillars of the church, Avas the same Avho pre- 
sided amongst the apostles, doubtless by virtue 
of his episcopal office, and determined the 
causes in the sj nod of Jerusalem. Nor do ei- 
ther Clemens, Alexandrinus, or Eusebius, 
mention any more than two St. James' slain 
by Herod, and St. James the Just, bishop of 
Jerusalem, whom they expressly affirm to be 
tlie same w ith him who is called the brother of 
our Lord by St. Paul. 

The diflliculties with regard to his person, 
being thus removed, we shall proceed to the 
history of his life. It is reasonable to think 
that he Avas the son of Joseph, afterwards the 
husband of Mary, by his first wife, whom St. 
Jerom styles Escha, and adds that she was 
the daughter of Aggi, Brother to Zacharias, the 
father of John the Baptist : hence he was re- 
puted our Lord's brother. We find indeed 
several mentioned as the brethren of our SaAi- 
our in the evangelical history ; but in what 
sense, was greatly controverted by the ancients. 
St. Jerom, St. Clirysostom, and some others, 
will have them to have been so called, from their 
being the sons of Mary, cousin- german, or ac- 
cording to the Hebrew idiom, sister to tlie 
Virgin Mary : but Eusebius, Epiphanious, 
and many others tell us, they were tlie children 

No. 14. 



of Joseph, by a former wife ; and this seelvis 
most natural, and best agrees w ith what the 
evangelist says of them, when he enumerates 
the questions of the Jews : Is not this the car- 
penter'' s son ? Is not his mother called Mary ? 
And his brethren, James, andJoses, and Simon, 
and Judas ? And his sisters, are theij not all with 
us? Whence then has this man these thirnrs? 
By which it is plain, that the Jews understood 
these persons not to be Christ's kinsmen onl v, 
but his brethren ; the same cai-pentcr's sons 
having the same relation to him, that Jesus 
himself had : indeed they had more, Christ 
being only his reputed, they his natural sons. 
Upon this account, the blessed Virgin is some- 
times called the mother of James and Joses ; 
and by this name we frequently find her men- 
tioned by the evangelists in relating our Lord's 
crucifixion : and though she was only mother- 
m-law to St. James, yet the evangelists might 
choose to st}ie her so, because she Avas com- 
monly called his mother, after tlie death of Jo- 
seph : perhaps she herself chose that title, that 
the Son of God, whom as a Virgin, she had 
brought into the world, might be the better 
concealed, and less exposed to the envious mal- 
ice of the Jews. To this it may be added, 
that Josephus, Avho was eminently skilled in 
matters of genealogy and descent, expressly 
says, that St. James was the brother of Jesus 
Christ. There is indeed, one objection 
against this^ namely, that he is called the son of 
Alpheus: but this may mean no more, than ei- 
ther that Joseph was called by another name, a 
thing very common amongst the Jews, or that 
James himself was a disciple of some particu. 
lar sect or synagogue, called Alpheans, there 
being many such sects about this time aniong-st 
the Jews. 

The sacred histor}' is silent with regard to 
the place of his birth : the Jews, in their Tal- 
mud, cal'ed him a man of the town of Sechania ; 
but where tliat place was situated, is uncertain : 

4G 



S14 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



nor is it known M'hat his particular way or 
course of lil'c w us before he M as called to the 
apostleship ; the sacred writers having been 
silent vt ith regard to this particular, mentioning 
nothing concerning him during the life of our 
Saviour. 

St. James v\ as honoured, after the resurrec- 
tion, with a pai'ticular appearance of our Lord to 
him, which, though passed over in silence by 
the evangelists, is recorded by St. Paul. St. 
Jerom, from the Hebrew gospel of the Naza- 
renes, ^^•hich contains several particuku's omit- 
ted by the evangelical historians, gives the fol- 
lowing relation of his appearance to this apos- 
tle. St. James had solemnly sworn, that from 
the time he had drank of the cup of the institu- 
tion of the supper, he Would eat bread no more, 
till he saw the Lord risen from the dead ; our 
Lord, therefore, being returned from the grave, 
came and appeared to liim, and commanded 
bread to he set before him, which he took, bless- 
ed, and brake, and gave to St. James ; saying, 
" Eat th}- bread, my brother, for the Son of 
man is triih- risen from amongst them that 
sleep." 

iVfter the resurrection of our Saviour, he 
was chosen bishop of Jerusalem, beuig preferr- 
ed before all the rest,^ for his neai' relation to 
Christ ; and for the same reason, wefind Si- 
meon chosen to be his immediate successor in 
that s,ee, becTiuse, after St. James, he was our 
Lord's next kinsm.an : a consideration that 
made Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, though 
they had been peculiarly honoured by our Sa- 
\;iour, not to contend for this high and honour- 
able station, but freely chose James the Just, 
bishop of Jerusalem. This dignity is indeed 
said, by some of the ancients, to have been con- 
ferred on liirn by Christ, who constituted 
him bishop at the time of his appearing to him : 
but it is safest to follow the general opinion, 
that this dignity was conferred upon, hjm by 
the apostles ; though possibly they might re- 
ceive some intimations from our Lord himself, 
concerning it. 

St. Paul, when he came to Jerusalem, after 
his conversion, applied to St. James, and was 
by him honoured with the right hand' of fellow- 
ship : and Peter sent to St. James the nev/s of 
his miraculous deliverance out of prison, Go, 
said lie, shexu these things unto James ^ and to 



the brethren ; that is, to the '^vhole church, 
ebpeciiilly to St. James, the pastor of it at that 
time. 

This apostle was remarkably active in the 
synod of Jerusalem, when the great cause relat- 
ing to the Mosaic rites ^vas debated ; lor the 
Cause being opened by Peter, and further de- 
bated by Paul and Barnabas, St. James stood 
up to pass the final and decretory sentence : 
That the Gentile converts were not to be load- 
ed wdth the Jewish yoke ; a few indifie'rent 
rites only being ordered to be obser^'cd, in or- 
der to produce an accommodation betvreen tlie 
Jews and Gentiles, ushering in the expedient 
with this positive conclusion, This is my 
sentence and determination : " a circumstance 
the more considerable, because spoken at a 
time when Peter was in council, and produced 
not the least intimation of the authority after- 
wards ascribed to him. 

St. James performed every part of his charge 
with all possible cai'e and industry, omitting no 
pai'ticular, necessary to be observed by a dili- 
gent and faithful guide of souls ; strengthening 
the weak, instructing the ignorant, ixducing 
die eiToneous, reproving the obstinate ; and, 
by the constancy of his sermons, conquering 
the stubbornness of that perverse and refrac- 
tory generation he had to deal with,, many of 
the nobler and better sort being persuaded to, 
embrace the Christian faith : but a person so 
careful, so successful in his charge, could not 
fail of awakening the spite and malice of his 
enemies ; a sort of men of whom the apostle 
has gi\'en too true a character, that they please 
not God, and are contrary to all men. 

The Jews being vexed to see St. Paul had 
escaped their hands, by appealing unto Cassar, 
their malice became as great and insatiable as- 
hell itself, so that as tliey could not have their 
revenge on St. Paul, they turned tlieir fury 
against St. James ; but being unable to effect 
their design under the government of Festus^. 
they determined to attempt it under the pro- 
curatorship of Aibinus, his successor, Ananus 
the younger, of the sect of the Sadducees, being 
higli priest. They were h.o"\vever fearful, that 
Aibinus would oppose their design, and there- 
fore thouglit it the surest method to dispatch 
him, if possible before the nev.- governor arriv* 
ed. In order to this, a ct)uncil was summon- 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



515* 



ed, and the' apostle, with, others, arraigned and 
condemned ab \ iolaters of die law : but that 
the action might appetir more plausible and 
popular, the Scribes and Pharisees, masters in 
the art of dissimulation, endeavoured to en- 
snare him : and, at their first coming, told him, 
that they had all placed the greatest confidence in 
him ; that the ^\ ho!e nation as v» ell as they gave 
him die title of a just man, and one that M"as no 
respecter ol persons ; that they therefore desir- 
ed he ■would correct the error and false opi- 
nion die people had conceived of Jesus, whom 
they considered as the Messiah, and take this 
opportunity of the uni\'ersal confluence to the 
paschal solemnit}-, to set them right in their 
opinions in this particular, and \vould go with 
them to the top of the temple, \vhere he might 
be seen and heai'd by all the people. 

To this the apostle readily consented, and 
being advantageously placed on a pinnacle of 
the temple, they addressed him in the following 
manner : " Tell us, O Justus ! %\ hom we have 
all thiC reason in the %vorld to belie^•e, that the 
people are thus generally led away w hh the 
doctrme of Jesus, who was crucified ; tell us, 
what is this institution of the crucified Jesus ?" 
To which the aposde ansv.-cred, with an audi- 
ble voice : "^\'hydo you inquire of Jesus, 
the Son of man .- He sits in hea-ven at the ris: lit 
hand of die ^Majesty on liigh, raid w 'nl come 
again in the clouds of heaven." The people 
below heai'ing this, glorifi.ed the blessed Jesus, 
and openly proclaimed, Hosiuuia to the son 
of David.'' 

Hereupon tlie Scribes and Pharisees per- 
ceil ed that they h.id acted foolislily ; that, in- 
stead of reclaiming, they had connnned the 
people in their error ; a;;d that there ^vas no 
way left but to dispatch liim imniediateh-,. in 
order to wurn others, by his su&riiigs, not to 
believe in Je:iUs of Nazaredi : a : cording! v they 
suddenly cried out, that Justus hiraseIl"M-as se- 
duced, and become an impostor ; and imme- 
diately tm-ew^ him from the pinnacle on v, hich 
he stood, into the court bcio\\' ; but not beino- 
killed on the spot, he reco\ ered himself so fai- 
as to rise on his knees, aiid pray ferventh" to 
hea\'en for his murderers : but malice is too 
diaboiicai to be pacified with kindjiess, or sii- 
tisricd with ci utily : iittie portions of revenge 
serve ouiy to enfiiiiue it, itnd rouse it up to 



greater acts of cruelty. yVccordingh-, his ene- 
mies, vexed that diey had not luily accom- 
plished their A\ ork, they poured a shower of 
stones upon him, w hile he was imploring their 
lbrgi\ eness at the throne of grace ; and one of 
them, more mercilul than the rest, with a full- 
er's club, put an end to his misery. 

This great and good man thus fiiiished his 
course, in the ninety-sixth year of his age, and 
about twenty- lour years after our blessed Sa- 
viour's ascension into heaven. His death was 
lamented b}" all good men, even by the sober 
and just persons amongst the icwa them.seh-LS, 
as Josephus himself confesses. He was buri- 
ed, according to Gregory ot Tours, on Mount 
01i\'et, in a tomb he had built for himself, and 
in which he had buried Zacharias and old Si- 
meon. Hejesippus says, he was buried in the 
court of the temple, where he suffereel mart3T- 
doni, and that a monument ^\'as there erected 
to his memory : but the former seems more 
agi'eeable to reason ; for the Jews yev\- rarely 
buried any person in the cit}-, much less in the 
courts of the temple ; and thereibre, it is not 
natural to think the}- ^vould permit tliat honour 
to be paid to him they hael so lately put to death 
as an impostor anel deceiver. 

St. James was a man of excmplaiy piety and 
de\ otion, educateel under the strictest rules and 
institutions of religion, a priest of the ancient 
order of the Rechabites, or rather, as Epipha- 
nius conjectures, according to the most anci- 
ent order and ibrra of priesdiood, w hen the 
sacerdotal office Vv as die prerogativ e of the first- 
born : but whether this kind of prietithood 
was at any time - observed under the Alosaic 
dispensation, w e are no Vvhere told in S^xreel 
Writ : but however that be, it is certain diat 
he had the pri-s ilcge or entering the sanctuary 
or holy place, when he pleased, though none 
but priests of the order of .\aron v. ci'c permit- 
ted to enter there besides himself. Prayer was 
his constant business and delight ; he seemed 
to live upon it, and to have continually his con- 
versation in heaven ; and, tlicrelbrc, used con- 
stantly to repair into the temple, to pr;iy, v- hich 
he always performed kneeling, and v.itli the 
greatest reverence, tiil by his daily devdtlor.s, 
his knees we-re become hard and callous, like 
aiobc of a camel. And he v> ho has told us, 
tiiat the praya'ofa righteous man ava 'tlcfh mucJh, 



316 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



found it so by his owu experience, heaven 
lending a more immediate ear to his petitions ; 
so that in a time of remarkable drought, on his 
praying for rain, the clouds melted into fruit- 
ful showers, and relieved the necessities of the 
people. 

His charity towards men was not less singu- 
lar than his piety towards God : he did good 
to all, watched over the souls of men, and stu- 
died to advance their eternal welfare ; his daily 
errand into the temple was to pray for the hap- 
piness of the people, and that God would not 
severely reckon with them ; he could forgive 
his most inveterate enemies, and overcome evil 
with good : when thrown from the top of the 
temple, he made use of his latest breath in 
sending up petitions to heaven for the pardon 
of his murderers, " I beseech thee, O Al- 
mighty Father, forgive them, for they know 
not what they do." 

This apostle was of a remarkable meek and 
humble temper, honouring what was excellent 
in others, concealing what was valuable in him- 
self : neither the eminency of his relation to 
the blessed Jesus, nor the dignity of the place 
he so worthily filled, could induce him to en- 
teilain lofty thoughts of himself, above the rest 
of his brethren ; on the conti"ary, he strove to 
conceal whatever might place him in a higher 
rank, than the other disciples of the Lord of 
glor)'. Though he was brother to the Re- 
deemer of mankind, he styles himself only the 
servant of our Lord Jesus Christ; not so 
much as mentioning his being an apostle of his 
idivine Master. 

He was a person of extraordinary temper- 
ance, wholly abstaining from flesh, drinking 
neither wine nor strong di ink, and never using 
the bath. His holy and mortified mind, was 
contented with the meanest accommodations ; 
he went bare-foot, and never vv^ore any other 
than linen garments. He lived indeed after 
the strictest rules of the Nazarite order : and 
as the mitre he wore on his head evinced his 
priesthood, which was rather from Melchizedek 
than Aaron ; so his never shaving liis head, or 
using any ointments, his habit and diet, and the 
great severity of his life, shewed him to belong 
to the Nazarite institution to which he was con- 
secrated, even from his mother's womb. A 
man of so divine a temper, that he was at once 



the love and wonder of his age ^ and from the- 
reputation of his holy and religious life, was 
styled James the Just. He was indeed the 
safety and happiness of the nation, which was 
reckoned to depend upon his prayers and in - 
terest with heaven, and hence he acquired the 
title of Obl'ias, or Ozliam, the defence ajid for- 
tress of the people ; indicating, that when he 
was no more, their castles would be dismantled, 
and their strength laid level with the ground : 
and so indeed it proved ; for a few years after 
his death, the Roman army broke in upon them, 
and filled the coimtry with blood and slaughter. 
It is indeed no wonder that the judgments of 
the Almighty, like a flood, should come rolling 
in upon a nation, when the sluices ai-e plucked 
up, and Moses taken away, that stood bi the 
gap to oppose them. In short, St. James was 
the delight of all good men, and in so great 
favour and estimation with the people, that they 
used to flock after him, and strive who should 
touch, if it were only the border of his gar- 
ment ; his very episcopal chair, as Eusebius 
informs us, wherein he used to sit, was careful- 
ly preserved, and had a kind of veneration paid 
it, even in his time. He was beloved not only 
by his friends, but also by his enemies, and the 
Jews themselves mention St. James in their 
Talmud, as a person Avho wrought miracles in 
the name of Jesus his Master ; and the wisest 
of them considered his martyrdom as the prin- 
cipal cause of all those calamities that soon after 
flowed in upon them. Josephus in particular 
reckons the death of St. James, as the action 
that more immediately roused the divine ven- 
geance, and hastened the universal ruin of that 
nation by the Roman armies. 

This apostle wrote only one epistle, probably 
not long before his martyrdom, as appears from 
some passages in it relating to the near approach 
of the destruction of the Jews : he directed it 
to the Jewish converts dispersed up and down 
those eastern countries, to comfort them under 
their sufferings, and confirm them against er- 
ror : he saw a great degeneracy of manners 
coming on, and that the purity of the Christian 
faith began to be undermined by the doctrines 
and practices of the Gnostics, who, under pre- 
tence of zeal for the legal rites, generally mix- 
ed themselves witli the Jews : he beheld liber- 
tinism flowing in apace, and the way to heavei?; 



AND LIVES OF 



HIS APOSTLES. 



mack fcroft and easy, men declaiming against 
eood works as useless and unnecessary, and as- 
certaining that a naked belief was sufficient to 
salvation. These doctrines the apostle oppos- 
es, presses the purit}% patience, charity, and 
all the virtues of a good life ; and by undenia- 



ble arguments proves, that such a faith alone, 
which has Christ for its object, and works by 
love and holiness, can justify us before God, 
and procure our admittance into die coelestia] 
kingdom of eternal glor\'. 



THE LIFE OF ST. PETER, 

THE APOSTLE TO THE JEWS. 



THIS remarkable apostle and disciple of 
our blessed Lord and Saviour was born 
at Bethsaida, a city of Galilee, situate on tlie 
banks of the lake of Gennesareth, called also 
the sea of Galilee, from its being situated in that 
country ; and the lake of Tiberias, from that 
city being built on its banks : but the particular 
time of this great apostle's birth cannot be 
known ; the evangelists, and other writers 
amongst the primitive Christians, having been 
silent with regard to this particular. It is, how- 
ever, pretty certain, that he was at least ten years 
older than his master ; the circumstances of his 
being married, and in a settled course of life, 
when he became a follo'iver of the great Messiah, 
and that authority and respect the gravity of his 
person procured him amongst the rest of the 
apostles, sufficiently declare this conjecture to 
be veiy far from improbable. 

St. Peter, being a descendant of Abraham, 
was circumcised according to the rites of the 
Mosaic law, and called, by his parents, Simon 
or Simeon, a name at thattime common amongst 
the Jews : but after his becoming a disciple of 
the blessed Jesus, the additional title ot Cephas 
was conferred upon him by his Master, to denote 
the firmness of his faith ; the word Cephas in 
the Syriac, the common language of the Jews 
at that time, signifying a stone or rock : and 
thence he is called in Greek Petros, and by us 
Peter, which appellation bears the samie mean- 
ing. 

No. 14. 4 



The evangelists have also been silent \vith 
regard to the parents of St. Peter, except in 
telling us, that his father's name was Jonah, 
probably a fisherman of Bethsaida : but what- 
ever was his trade, he was highly honoured by 
our blessed Saviour, who chose two of his sons, 
Andrew and Peter, to be his aposdes, and 
preachers of the glad tidings of salvation toman- 
kind. 

While young, St. Peter was brought up to 
the trade of fishing, on the lake of Bethsaida, fa- 
mous for different kinds offish, which excelled 
all others in the fineness of the taste. Here he 
closely followed this trade : but afterwards re- 
moved to Capernaum, probably on his being 
married, where he settled ; for \\q find he had 
a house there when oui^ Saviour began his pub- " 
lie ministry, and there he paid tribute. Nioe- 
phorus tells us, that Helen, the mother of Con- 
stantine, erected a beautiful church over the 
ruins of St. Peter's house, in honour of him. 

The town of Capernaum, was as well situat- 
ed as Bethsaida, for the carrying on his tirade, 
standing at the influx of the river Jordan into 
the sea of Galilee, and w here he might, vv ith 
equal advantage, reap the fruits of an honest 
and industi-ious diligence. The business of 
St. Peter was, we confess, both mean and ser- 
vile ; it exposed him to all the injuries of the 
weather, and the temp-estu outness of die sea, and 
the darkness and horror of the night, and all 
to acquire a mean livdiJ»cod ior hiijibcifaiid Ms 
H 



318 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



family : but meanness is no exception to the 
Almighty ; the poor, it virtuous, are as dear to 
heaven as the wealth}'-, the great, and the pow- 
erful : the beggar and the monarch are equally 
regarded by the great Parent of the human 
vace, with whom there is no respect of per- 
sons ; and who is tlie rewarder of all that dili- 
gently seek him. 

Here we cannot help observing the wise and 
admirable methods made use of by Divine 
Providence, in making choice of such mean 
and unlikely instruments, in planting and pro- 
pagating the Christian religion in the world : 
men who were destitute of every advantage of 
education, and brought up to the meanest em- 
ployments, were chosen to confound the wise, 
and o^^erturn the learning of the prudent.... 
Such were the persons whom the Almighty 
sent to propagate the religion of his Son ; to 
silence the wise, the scribe, and the disputer of 
this world, and to make foolish the wisdom of 
the earth : for though the Jews require a sign, 
and the Greeks sought after wisdom ; though 
the preaching of a crucified Saviour was a scan- 
dal to the former, and foolishness to the learned 
latter ; yet by his foolishness of preaching, 
God was pleased to save them that believed ; 
and, in the event, made it appear, that the Jhol- 
hhness of God is wiser than men, and the weak- 
ness of God is strange?- than 7nen ; that so the 
honour of all may redound to himself, that no 
Jlesh should glory in his presence, but he that 
gloriethy should glory in the Lord, to whom 
alone all honour is due. 

We are not told of what sect St. Peter was 
before he became a follower of the blessed Je- 
sus ; but it is highly probable that he was 
a disciple of John the Baptist. We know that 
his brother Andrew was a follower of that 
preacher of repentance ; and it is very unlikely 
that he, who was so ready to carry his brother 
to the eiu*ly tidings of the Messiah, that the Sun 
of Righteousness was already risen in those 
parts, should not be equally solicitous to bring 
him under the discipline and influences of John 
the Baptist, the day-star which appeared to 
usher in the appearance of the Son of God : be- 
sides, Peter's great readiness and curiosity at 
the first news of Christ's appearing, to come to 
him and converse with him, shews that his expec- 
tations had been awakened, and some glimmer- 



ing rays of hope conveyed to hmi by the preach- 
ing and ministry of John, who was the voice of 
one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the 
"^^9 of the Lord, make his paths straight. 

Whether Peter was or was not a disciple ctf 
John the Baptist, he became acquainted with 
the immaculate Lamb of God in the ibllowing 
manner: The blessed Jesus, having spent 
thirty years in the solitude of a private life, had 
lately been baptized by John in Jordan, and 
there owned by the solemn attestation of hea- 
ven to be the Son of God ; whereupon he was 
immediately hurried into the wilderness, and 
there for forty days maintained a personal con- 
test with the Devil : but having conquered this 
great enemy of mankind, he returned to Betha- 
bara beyond Jordan, where John was baptiz- 
ing his proselytes, and endeavouring to answer 
the JcAvs, who hdd sent a deputation to him to 
inquire concerning this new Messiah that ap- 
peared amongst them. To satisfy these curi- 
ous inquiries of Israel, John faithhilly related 
every thing he knew concerning him gave him 
the greatest character, and soon after pointed 
him out to his disciples ; upon which two of 
them presently followed the great Redeemer of 
mankind, one of which was Andrew, Simoil's- 
brother. They came to him towards evening, 
and in all probability stayed with him the whole 
night, during which time Andrew had an oppor- 
tunity of informing himself, and of satisfying his 
most anxious scruples. 

He did not long conceal the joyful discovery 
he had made ; for early in the morning he hast- 
ened to acquaint his brother Simon that he had 
found the Messiah. It is not enough to be hap- 
py alone ; religion is a communicative princi- 
ple, that like the circles in the water, delights 
to multiply itself, and to diffuse its influences 
all around, especially on those whom nature 
has placed nearest to us. " I have (said he 
with rapture to his brother) found that eminent 
person so long and signally foretold by the pro- 
phets, and -whom all the devout and pious 
auiongst the sons of Jacob so earnestly expect- 
ed to appear." 

St. Peter, who was one of those who waited 
for redemption in Israel, ravished with this 
joyful news, and impatient of delay, presently 
followed his brotJier to the place ; and, on his 
arrival^ our blessed Saviour immediately gave 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



him a proof of his divinity, saluting him at first 
sight by his name, and telling liim both who 
he was, his name, and kindred, and what title 
should soon be confen-ed upon him i^y the au- 
thority oi his Master. 

Whether these two sons of Jonah constantly 
attended in person from that time on the great 
Redeemer of mankind, and became his disci- 
ples, the sacred histor}^ does not mention. It 
is however probable, tliat they stayed with him 
some time, till they were instructed in the first 
rudiments of Ms doctrine, and then, by the 
leave of their great and benevolent Master, re- 
turned to their families and to their ctJlings ; 
for it is reasonable to suppose, that the blessed 
Jesus was not at this time VvUling to awaken 
the jealousy of the rulers of Israel, and the sus- 
picion of the Romans, by a numerous retinue, 
and therefore dismissed his disciples, and 
amongst the rest Andrev,- and Peter, who re- 
turned to their trade of fishing on the lake, 
where they were afterwards found b}" our bless- 
ed Redeemer. 

Our Lord had now more than a year entered 
on his public ministry, going into every pait 
of the countiy^ to seek opportunities of doing 
good to the children of men ; so that by the 
constancy of his preaching, and the reputation 
of his miracles, his fame was spread through- 
out all Judea, and multitudes of people flocked 
to him fi"om all parts to hear his doctrine, and 
be spectators of his mighty vrorks. And sure- 
ly it is no wonder that the parched and barren 
earth thirsted for the kindly dews and showers 
of heaven, to refresh it. 

In order to a-\'oid this prodigious throng of 
people, our grezt Redeemer often retired to 
some solitary place, to indulge the pri\ acies of 
contemplation : in one of these retreats on the 
banks of the sea of Galilee, the multitude foimd 
him out, and ran to liira fi'om the city. Our 
Saviour, therefore^ to avoid the crowd, stepped 
into a fishing boat A\ hich lay near the shore, 
and belonged to S.mon Peter, who, together 
with his companions, were on shore djj uig their 
nets after un unsuccessful night spent in toil 
and labour. The blessed JeoU 3, who might 
have comm inded, was pleased to entreat Peter, 
who now returned to his boat, to trust ofl^a 
tittle from the land, that he might instruct tlie 



people, who were gathered in prodigious 
crowds on the borders oi the lake, to hear him. 

St. Peter gladly complied with the request 
of his Master, who delivered his heavenly doc- 
trine to the people on the shore. As soon as 
he had ended his discourse, he resolved to seal 
his miracle, that the people might be persuaded 
he was a teacher come from God : accordingly, 
he ordered Simon to row further from the 
shore, and cast his net into the sea. To which 
Simon answered, that they had laboured the 
whole preceding night, and had taken no- 
thing ; and if they could not then succeed, 
there \vas little hopes of it now, as the day was 
far less proper for fishing than the night : but 
as his Master was pleased to command, he 
would readily obey ; and, accordingh', he let 
down his net, ^ hen, to the astonishment both 
of him and his companions, so great a multi- 
tude of fishes were enclosed, that they were 
obliged to call their partners to their assist- 
ance. 

Amazed at tliis miraculous di"aught of fish- 
es, Simon Peter, in an ecstasy of admiration ^ 
blended with a%ve and humility, fell prostrate 
at his Master's feet, acknowledged himself a 
vile and sinful person, and thinking himself 
unworthy of being admitted into the presence 
of a person so immcdiiitely sent from God : 
but the compassionate Sion of die jNIost High 
kindly removed his fears, telling him that this 
miracle was wrought to confirm his faith, imd 
to indicate to him, that the Almight}- had ap- 
pointed a more noble emploj'ment for him, duit 
of saving the souls of the children of men. 
From this time Peter and his companions be- 
came the inseparable and constant disciples of 
the great ^Messiah, living under tiie rules of his 
institutions and discipline. 

Our blessed Sa\dour returned soon after to 
Capernaum ^\"ith his disciples, where thev found 
the modier-in-law of Peter dangerously ill of a 
fever: but die compassionate Jesus, who ne- 
A-er omitted an opportunit}- of doing good to 
the human race, rebuked the disease, and tak- 
ing her by die hand, restored her iji a moment 
to her lOJ-mcr heaidi ; c'emonbU at'uig at once, 
his power and \\ iiilngness to relieve and com- 
fort the sons and daughters of affliction and 
sorrow^ 



320 



LITE OF JESUS CHRIST 



The adorable Redeemer, having for some ' 
time entered on his public ministry, tliought 
proper to elect some peculiar persons from 
amongst his followers, to be constant witnesses 
of his miracles and docti'ines, and who, after 
his depai-ture, might be intrusted with the care 
of building his church, and planting that reli- 
gion in the w^orld, for A\'hich he himself left the 
mansions of heaven, and put on the veil of 
mortality. In order to this, he ^\'ithdre^v pri- 
vately in the evening to a solitaiy mountain, 
w here he spent the night in solemn addresses 
to his Almighty Father, for rendering the gi-e:.t 
work he was going to undertalce, prosperous 
and beneficial to mankind. 

The disciples came to him early the next 
morning, out of ^hom he made choice of 
tweh^e to be his apostles, and the constant at- 
tendants on his person. These he aiter\^'ards 
invested with the power of working miracles, 
and sent them into different parts of Judea, in 
order to carry on with more rapidit}'^ the great 
■work which he himself had so happily begun 
amongst the people. 

The evangelists in general, in their enume- 
ration of the apostles, constantl}- place St. Pe- 
ter first. Indeed, the age and gravity of his 
person, together with his being first called to 
be an apostle, particularly qualified him for be- 
ing president of this sacred college : but ^ve 
must not suppose that St. Peter was invested 
ivith any personal prerogative abo'V'e his breth- 
ren ; none of tliem ever intimated any such 
thing; and St. Paul says expressly, that he 
himself was not inferior to the very chiefest 
apostle ; for he was less eminent for usefulness 
than success in his ministry. 

This election had not long taken place, when 
the blessed Jesus, attended by Peter and the 
two sons of Zebedee, follov/ed Jairus, a ruler 
of the synagogue, to his house, in order to res- 
tore his daughter, an only child, who lay at the 
point of death ; but before their arrival, a mes- 
senger arrived with the news that the damsel 
w^as dead, and therefore unnecessary for our 
Saviour to give himself any further trouble : 
but our Lord bid the ruler not despair ; for, if 
he believed, his daughter should yet be restored 
to her former health : and, accordingly, on his 
arrival he took the maid by the hand, and m- ith 
the power of hJs v/ord recalled her fleeting spir- 



it, ^^•hich had quitted its epi thly tabernacle, and 
restored her again to life and health, in the pre- 
sence of her astonished friends. 

No further account of St. Peter, in particu- 
lar occurs, till the night after our Saviour's 
miraculously feeding the multitude in the wil- 
derness. Jesus had ordered his disciples to 
take ship, and pass over to the other side, while 
he sent the multitude away : but a violent storm 
arising, they ^-erc in great danger of their lives, 
when their great Master came unto them, walk- 
ing on the surface of the boisterous billows, 
with the same ease as if it had been dry ground. 
At his approach, the disciples were gi'catl}^ ter- 
rified, supposing they had seen a spirit : but 
their compassionate Master soon dispelled their 
fears, by telling them it was he himself, and 
therefore, they had rio reason to be terrified. 

St. Peter, w^o was always remarkable for 
bold resolutions, and a precipitate zeal, desired 
his INIaster to give him leave to come to him 
on the w^ater ; and on obtaining permission, he 
left the ship, and w^alked on the sea to meet 
his Saviour : but when he heai'd the deep roar 
around him, and the waves increase, he bef)-an 
to be afraid ; and as his faith declined, his body 
sunk into the water ; so that, in the greatest 
agony, he called for assistance to him -^vho was 
able to save : nor was his cry in vain ; the 
compassionate Redeemer of mankind stretched 
out his hand, and again placed him on the sur- 
face of the water, with this gentle reproof, O 
thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt ? 
And no sooner was the blessed Jesus and his 
disciple entered into the ship, than the ^^•inds 
ceased, the Avaves subsided, and the ship was 
at the land hither they were going. A mir- 
acle of this kind, could not fail of astonishing 
the disciples, and convincing them of the divi- 
nity of his person ; accordingly, they drew 
near, and worshipped him v. ith this confession. 
Of a truth thou art the Son of God. 

Our blessed Saviour, tlic next day, entered 
the synagogue of Capernaum ; and, from the 
miracle of the loaves, took occasion to dis- 
course concerning himself, as the true manna^ 
and the bread xvhich came down from heaven ; 
opening to them the more sublime and spiri- 
tual mysteries, and the necessary and impor- 
tant duties of the gospel. On which, great 
part of the audience, who expected he was go- 



AND LIVLS OF 



HIS APOSTLES. 



mg to erect a temporal kingdom, and re-cstab- \ 
lish the throne of David in Jerusalem, oficnded 
at his representing his dominion as entirely 
spiritual, departed from him, and came no more 
to hear his discourses. Jesus, on beholding 
this defection, turned himself" to\\ ai ds his dis- 
ciples, and asked them whether they also M'ould 
go away ? To which Peter replied. Lord, whi- 
ther shall IV e go ? thou Jmst the xvords of eternal 
life : th\- doctrine alone can instruct us in the 
padis that lead to happiness ; and thou art the 
true Messiali, the gixat Prophet so fully fore- 
told, and so long expected by our nation. 

The Jews, ^^ \\o beheld ^\ ith astonishment the 
miracles \\T0ught by the blessed Jzsus, had 
formed manv conjectures concerning him : our 
great Redeemer was not ignorant of this ; but 
being willing to hear \\ hat account his disciples 
would gi^'e him of the various opinions of the 
people, asked them, ^vhat the M orld said con- 
cerning him r To which they replied, diat some 
took him for John the Baptist, risen from tlie 
dead ; some thought him to be Elias, and others 
Jeremiah, or one of the old prophets. This 
account not satisfying our blessed Saviour, he 
told them that it ^\•as no A^-onder that the peo- 
ple, who had seldom seen him, should form 
various conjectures concerning him and tlie 
doctrines he preached ; but as they had been 
constantly with him, heard his sermons, and 
been spectators of his miracles, it ^^ as natiu-al 
to diink tliey might form a truer idea of him ; 
and, therefore, asked them what they them- 
selves thought of him r To \\ hich Peter, in the 
name of the rest, answered, Thou art Christ, 
the So?i of the living God, anointed and set 
apart by the Most High, to be the great King, 
Priest, and Prophet of Israel. 

This full and comprehensive declaration of 
Peter, satisfied the inquiry of our blessed Sa- 
viour, who answered, Blessed art thou, Simon 
Bar- Jonah : for fesh and blood hath ?wt revealed 
if unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven : 
that is, this faith which thou hast now confess- 
ed, is not human, or built upon the testimony 
of man, but upon those evidences and prin- 
ciples which I M as sent from God to reveal un- 
to the \\-orld, and diose gi-eat and solemn attesta- 
tions he had given from heaven to the ti uth, 
both of my person and doctrine : therefore, / 
say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and up- 
No. 14. 



on this rock I will build my church, and the gates 
of hell shall not prevail against it. As thy name 
signifies a rock, so shaltthou prove firm, solid, 
and immoveable, in building my church, w hich 
shall be so firmly established by thy care and 
diligence to that faith thou hast now professed, 
that all the assaults of men and de\ ils, shall not 
be able to destro}', by their utmost efibrts. 

At this time the disciples had no idea thjit 
their Master \\ iis to suffer death for the sins of 
die w'orld ; on the conti-ary, tliey considered 
him as immortal, ha\ ing imbibed the opirion 
of the Scribes and Phiu isces, 77;at Christ abid- 
eth for ever : so that when the blessed Jesus 
told them of the sufferings he must undergo at 
Jerusalem, what affronts and indignities he must 
suffer, and be at last put to deadi, with all the 
acts of torture and disgrace, by a sentence of the 
Jewish Sanhedrim, St. Peter, M ho could not 
endure the thought of his Master's suffering 
even the least punishment, much less those 
cruelties he had mentioned, and at last death 
itself, interrupted him very unseasonabl}", and 
said, Be it far from thee. Lord ; this shall not 
be unto thee. He considered these sufferings 

O 

as inconsistent with the character of the ereat 
Messiah, whom he expected would restore the 
splendour of tlie throne of David, his father, and 
reduce all the kingdoms of die earth to his obe- 
dience. 

Our blessed Saviour, who came doMTi from 
llea^-en to give his life a ransom for the sins of 
the M orld, and M ho v alued the redemption of 
mankind infinitely more than his own ease and 
safety, highly resented this speech of St. Peter, 
and accordingly returned this sharp reproof. 
Get thee behind me, Satan ; thou art an offence 
to me : thou favourest not the things of God, but 
those that be of men. 

After these ti-ansactions, the great Redeemer 
of the sons of men, being about to receive a 
specimen of his future glorification, took M ith 
him three of die most intimate of liis apostles, 
Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and M'ent 
up into a very high mountain ; and ^^■hile thej^ 
M ere employed in earnest addresses to the Al- 
mighty, he M as transfigured before them, such 
lustre beaming from his face, as exceeded the 
brightness of the meridian sun ; and such rays 
of light issued from his gxirments, as exceeded 
the hght of the cleiirest daj- ; an ev ident and 

41 



322 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



sensible representation of that state, when the 
just shall walk in -xhite robes, and shine as the 
mn in the kingdom of their father. During 
this hea^'enly scene, the great prophets, Moses 
and Ehas, appeared in the brightness and 
majesty of a glorified state, familiarly convers- 
ing with him, and discoursing of the death and 
sufferings he was shortly to undergo, and his 
ascension to the heavenly regions of happiness 
and glory. 

Si:. Peter and the two apostles, were, in the 
mean time fallen asleep, being either very wea- 
r}"^ for \xm\t of natural rest : or, overpowered 
Avith these extraordinaiy appearances, which 
the frailty and Aveakness of their nature could 
not support, were fallen into a trance : but on 
their aWaking, were sti^angely surprised to see 
their Lord surrounded Avith so much glory, 
and those tAvo great persons conversing Avith 
him. They however remained silent, till those 
visitants from the courts of heaven were going 
to depart, Avhen Peter, in a rapture and ecstasy 
of mind, addressed himself to his Master, de- 
clai'ing their infinite pleasure and delight in be- 
ing favoured Avith this glorious spectacle ; and 
desired his leaA C to erect three tabernacles, one 
for him, one for Moses, and one for Elias : but 
wYiAt he Avas speaking, a bright cloud suddenly 
overshadoAA'ed those tAA o great prophets, and a 
\ oioe came from it, uttering tliese remarkable 
Avords, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am 
well pleased : hear ye him. On Avhich the 
apostles Avere seized Avith the utmost conster- 
nation, and fell upontlieir faces to the ground ; 
but Jesus touching them, bid them dismiss 
their feai's, and look up Avith confidence. They 
immediately obeyed, but saAV their Master on- 
ly ; the others having vanished, together Avith 
the cloud of light they had lately beheld. 

This heavenly scene being ended, our bless- 
ed Saviour travelled through Galilee, with his 
apostles, and at his return to Capernaum, the 
tax-gatherers came to Peter, and asked him, 
AA'hether his Master Avas not obliged to pay tri- 
bute ? To Avhich Peter readily declared he did. 
On his entering the house to give his Master 
an account of this demand, Jesus prevented 
him, by asking, What thinkest thou, Simon ? 
Of whom do the kings of the earth take custom 
or ti'ibute ? of their own children, or of stran- 
^eis ? To AA^hich Peter ansAvered, not from their 



servants and family, but from strangers. Then, 
replied our Lord, are the children free. I my- 
self as being the Son oi God, and you as my 
servants, are free from this tax, yearly paid to 
God, for repairing his temple at Jerusalem. 
But rather than give offence, by seeming to 
despise the house of God, and undervalue that 
authority which had settled this tribute, he de- 
termined to pay it, though at the expence of a 
miracle. Accordingly, he ordered Peter to 
repair to the sea Avitli a hook, and take the first 
fish that offered, in whose mouth he should find 
a piece of money. The disciple obeyed, and 
found tlie money as his Master had foretold^ 
and gave to the gatherers of the tribute for his 
master and himself, as their proportion of it. 

Our blessed Saviour having entered the ciiy 
of Jerusalem, in triumph, he repaired to Betha- 
ny ; fi-om Avhence he sent tAvo of his disciples, 
Peter and John, to make preparation for his 
celebrating the passover before his death. 

Preparation being made, the great Redeem- 
er and his apostles entered the house, and sat 
doAAai to table. But their great Master, Avho 
often taught tliem by example as^ Avell as pre- 
cept, arose from his seat, laid aside his upper 
garment, took a tOAvel, and pouring Avater into 
a bason, began to Avash his disciples' feet, to 
teach them humility and charity, by hisoAA n ex- 
ample. But on his coming to Peter, he Avould 
by no means admit his Master to perform so 
mean and condescending an office. What I 
the Son of God stoop to Avash the feet of a sin« 
ful mortal ! A thought Avhich shocked the 
apostle, AA'ho strenuously declai-ed, Thon shall 
never wash my feet. But the blessed Jesus 
told him, that if he Avashed him not, he could 
have no pail Avith liim ; meaning that this ac- 
tion Avas mystical, and signified the remission 
of sins, and the purifying a irtue of the spirit of 
the Most High, to be poured upon all true 
Christians. This tmsAA'er sufficiently removed 
the scruples of Peter, Avho cried out. Lord, not 
my feet only, but also my hands and my head. 

The dear Redeemer noAv began the institu- 
tion of his supper, that great and solemn insti- 
lution, AA hich he resolved to leave behind him, 
to be constantly celebrated in his church, as a 
standing monument and memorial of his love 
in dying for mankind ; telling them at the same 
time, tliat he himself Avas now going to leave 



AND'LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



525- 



them, and that whither he -vvent, they could 
not come. Peter, not well understanding what 
he meant, asked him whither he Avas going ? 
To which our blessed Lord replied, that he 
Was going to tliat place, whither he could not 
now, but should hereafter follow liim ; intimat- 
ins: the martM-dom he was to suffer for his 
Master's religion. Peter answered, diat he 
was ready now to follow him, even if it requir- 
ed him to lay dowm his life. This confident 
presumption was not at all agreeable to the 
blessed Jesus, who told him he hiid promised 
great things, but would be so far from perform- 
ing them, that before the cock crew tA\"ice, that 
is before three in the morning, he \\ ould dem- 
his Master thiicc. 

HaA'ing now ended supper, they sung an 
hvmn, and departed to the Mount of OAves ; 
where Jesus again put them in mind how 
greatly the things he A\"as going to suffer M'ould 
offend them. To vdiich Peter replied, that 
though all men shall be offended because of thee, 
yet will I never be offended. 

After this they repaired to die garden of ^ 
Gethsemane ; and lea'. ing the rest of the apos- 
tles near the enn-ance, our blessed SaA iour, 
taking with him Peter, James, and John, retir- 
ed into the more soli car}' parts of the garden, to 
enter on the prepai'atory scene of the great ■ 
tragedy that A\-as nov,- nigh at hand. j 

The blessed Jesus ac this awful juncture, ' 
laboured under the bitterest agony that ever ' 
human nature suflered. during which he pray- 
ed with the utmost fervency, to his Ahnight}* ■ 
Father, offering up prayers and supplications, | 
ivith strotig cryiiigs end tears ; and his sweat \ 
was, as it were, great drops of blood, falling \ 
'^down to the ground. W'hiie om- gi eal Redeem- ! 
er Avas thus mterceding witli the Almighty, his ' 
three disciplcb were fallen asleep, though he | 
had made three scAcral visits to tliem; and i 
calling to Peter, asked him if he could not 
watch one hour with him r adA'ising them all 
to watch and pray, tliat the}- might not enter 
into temptation, adding, The spirit indeed is 
ivilimg, but the flesh is weak. 

During our Lord's coavi^rsation Vv idi diem, 
a band of soldiers from the chief priests and 
elders, preceded by the traitor Judas, to con- 
duct and direct th.m, ru-lied into the garden, 
and seized the great High Priest oi' our profes- 



sion. Peter, Avhose inigovcrnable zeal would 
admit of no restraint, drew his sw ord, and with- 
out the Iciist order from his Alastcr, struck at 
one of the persons who seemed to be remark- 
abh busy in binding Jesus, and cut off his 
right ear. This wild and unwarrantiible zeal, 
was very offensive to his Master, who rebuked 
Peter, and entreated the patience of die soldiers, 
w hile he healed die wound by a miracle. 

The fidelity of the aposdes, which they Iiad 
urged widi so much confidence, was now put 
to the trial. They saw their Master in the 
hands of a rude and inconsiderate band of men, 
and therefore should have exerted their power 
to release him, or at least, have been the com- 
panions of liis sufferings, and endeavoured by 
every kind and endearing action, to have les- 
sened his grief. But, alas ! instead of assist- 
ing or comforting their Master, they all forsook 
him, and fled from innocence in distress. 

Hereupon the soldiers who had bound Jesus» 
led him aA\-a}-, and delivered him to the chief 
priests and elders, who carried him from one 
ti'ibunal to another ; first to Annas, and then 
to Ctiiaphas, where die Jewish Sanhedrim %\ ere 
assembled, in order to try and condemn him 
to deadi. 

Peter, ^^ ho in the mean time liad foIlo^^•ed 
the odier disciples in thefr flight, recovered 
his spirits, and being encoiu^ged by his com- 
panion St. John, returned to seek liis Master ; 
and seeing him leading to the high priest's hall, 
followed at a distance, to know the event : but 
on liis coming to the door, was refused admit- 
tance, till one of the disciples, probabh" St. 
John. w\\o was, acquainted there, came out, and 
prevailed on the sen ant who kept the door, to 
let him in. Peter, being admitted, repaired to 
die fire, biuTiing in the middle of die hail, round 
M"hicli the officers and servants -v^ ere standing ; 
\\liere, being obser\ed by ihe maidservant a\ ho 
let him in, she cliaj-ged him \\ idi being one of 
Christ's disciples ; but Peter publicly denied 
die charge, declaring that he did not know him, 
and presendy withdrew into die porch, ^here 
he lieiu"d die cock crow : an intimation seem- 
ingly suuicient to ha\ e av. akencd liis consci- 
ence into a quick bcnse of his duty, and the 
promise he had, a few hours before made to his 
Master. But, aia.s ! human ri»uure, when left 
to itself, is remarkably frail and inconstant 



LIFE bF JESUS CHRIST 



This Peter sufticiently experienced ; for while 
he continued in the porch, another maid met 
him, and charged him witli being one of the 
followers of Jesus of Nazareth; which Peter 
stiffly denied, and the better to gain belief, ut- 
tered an oath, to confirm his assertion. 

Neai'ly an hour after this, the servant of the 
high priest (he whose ear Peter had cut off) 
charged him with being a disciple of Christ, 
and that he himself had seen him in the garden 
with him ; adding, that his very speech proved 
him to be a Galilean. Peter, however, still 
denied the fact ; and to add the highest accom- 
plishment to his sin, ratified it, not only by an 
oath, but a solemn curse and execration, that 
he was not the person, that he knew not the 
man . But no sooner had he uttered this denial , 
than the cock crew. At which his Master 
turned about, and earnestly looked upon him : 
a look that pierced him to the heart, and 
brought to his remembrance, what his Saviour 
more than once had foretold, that he would 
basely and shamefully deny him. Peter was 
no'w no longer able to contain his sorrow : he 
flew from the palace of the high priest, and 
wept bitterly, passionately bewailing his folly, 
and the aggravations of his sin ; endeavouring 
tliereby to make some reparation for his apos- 
tacy, recover the favour of heaven, and prevent 
the execution of divine justice, by taking a se- 
vere revenge upon himself for his crime. 

St. Peter's fall should convince us of the 
miserable frailty even of the best of men, and 
effectually subdue those vain confidences which 
are apt to rise in our hearts, from our own sup- 
posed strength and virtue : for as this great 
disciple fell in so scandalous a manner, who 
shall hereafter dare to depend upon the high- 
est degree of knowledge, when one so wise, 
so perfectly satisfied of the truth of the Chris- 
tian doctrine, was, after the fullest convictions 
of his own conscience, so weak and frail as to 
deny and abjure his Lord, who instructed and 
bought him, even at the price of his own blood ? 
Who shall presume upon his best resolutions, 
when he who declared so firm a purpose of ad- 
hering to Jesus, did, within a few hours, pe- 
remptorily and solemnly disown that very per- 
son, for whose sake he was lately ready and 
disposed to lay down his life. 



From this example we should also remem- 
ber the wisdom and goodness of the Almighty, 
in causing the faults and infirmities of his saints 
to be recorded in the Holy Scriptures, and the 
use we ought to make of their failings and temp, 
tations. Their eminent virtues, and their as 
eminent repentance, where they did amiss, are 
written as a seasonable warnin.g, and exhibit an 
instance of humiliation to all future ages ; by let- 
ting us see, that the most perfect are but men, 
subject to blemishes and imperfections : and that 
the highest and purest state is no security from 
danger. This should make us xery tender how 
we j udge and despise our brethren ; whose faults, 
however severely we may censure them, might 
probably have been our own, had we been in 
their circumstances, and surrounded with their 
temptations : for, let him that thinketh he stand- 
eth, take he'ed lest he Jail. We should not 
then promise ourselves safety and freedom from 
temptations, in any circumstance in life ; or so 
far presume on our own virtues, as to think we 
are incapable of committing the blackest crimes, 
should the Almighty withdraw his grace, and 
leave us to ourselves. 

We have no account whether St. Peter, af- 
ter the denial of his Master, retired into some 
solitary place, to give vent to his grief and in- 
dulge his tears, or whether he followed his Sa- 
viour through the several stages of his trial, and 
personally attended as a mourner at the funeral 
of his Master. But however that be, he stay- 
ed at Jerusalem, or at least, in the neighbour- 
hood, and p'^obably with St. John ; for when 
Mary Magdalene returned from the sepulchre, 
to inform the disciples that the stone was rolled 
away from the door, and the body not to be 
found, Peter and John set out immediately to- 
wards the garden. John, who was the younger, 
ai-rived first at the sepulchre, looked into it, 
but did not enter, either out of fear, or a reve- 
rence to his Saviour. 

Peter, whose zeal was greatly increased, 
came soon after, and resolutely went into the 
sepulchre, where he found the linen clothes ly- 
ing togetlier in one place, and the napkin that 
was about his head, wTapped together in anoth- 
er ; a sufficient indication, that the body vi'as 
not stolen away : for had that been the case, so 
much care and order would not have been ob- 
served, in disposing of the linen clothes. But 



AND LIVES OF 

he did not wait long in siispcnce, with regard 
to his great Lord and Master ; for the same 
day, and probably about noon, Jesus appeared 
to him ; perhaps in compassion to his sorrow, 
in which he was overwhehncd for his late 
shameful deniiil of his Master. And as he was 
the first of the disciples who had made a signal 
confession of the divinity of the Messiah, so it 
was reasonable he should first see him after his 
resurrection ; and, at the same time, to con- 
vince him that the crime he had been guilty of 
in denying him \\ as {)ardoned, and that he M^as 
come, like the good Samaritan, to pour oil into 
his wounded conscience, and administer com- 
fort to his afflicted souL 

The apostles soon after prepared to obey the 
command of their great Master, of retiring into 
Galilee ; and we find that Peter, Nathanael, 
the two sons of Zebedee, and two other disei- 
|L 4 pies, returned to their old trade of fishing on the 
r lake. One morning early, as they were labour- 
ing at their employment, having spent the whole 
night to no purpose, they saw on shore a grave 
person (perhaps in the habit of a traveller) who 
called to them, and asked if they had any meat ? 
To hich the}- ansAvered, No. Cast then, re- 
plied he, the net on the right side of the ship, 
and ye shall find. They followed his direc- 
tions, and enclosed a prodigious number of 
larare fish. Astonished at such remarkable 
success, the disciples looked one upon anoth- 
er for some time, till St. John told Peter, that 
the person on shore, was doubtless their gi-eat 
Lord and Master, Vv hom the winds, the sea, and 
the inhabitants of the watery region were so 
ready to yield obedience to. 

St. Peter no soooner heard the beloved dis- 
ciple declai'e his opinion concerning the stran- 
ger, than his zeal took fire, and, notwithstand- 
ing the coldness of the season, girt on his fish- 
er's coat, threw himself into the sea, and swam 
to shore ; his impatience to be with his dear 
Lord and Master, not suffering him to stay the 
few minutes necessary to bring the ship ne^u- 
the shore. 

As soon as the disciples came on land, they 
found a fire kindled, and the fish laid upon it, 
eitlicr immediately created by the power oftheir 
divine Master, or that came ashore of its own 
accord, and offered itself to his hand : bii^ not- 
v^ithstanding there were fish already on tlie fire, 

No. 14, 



HIS APOSTLES. 325 

he ordered them to bring ofthosc they had now 
caught, and dress them for their repast, he him- 
self eating with them ; both to give them an 
instance of mutual love and friendship, and also 
to assure them of the truth of his human na^ 
ture, since he was risen from the dead, as they 
now beheld. 

The repast being ended, our blessed Saviour 
addressed himself particularly to St. Peter, urg- 
ing him to the utmost diligence in his care of 
souls ; and because he knew that nothing but 
a sincere love to himself could supjiort him un- 
der the troubles and dangers of so laborious and 
difficult an employment, he inquired of him 
whether he loved him more than the rest of the 
apostles ; mildly reproving him for his over 
confident resolution. Peter, whom fatal ex- 
perience had taught humility, modestly answer- 
ed, that none knew so well as himself, the in- 
tegrity of his affections : thou knowest the 
hearts of all men, nothing is hid from thee, and 
therefore thou knowest that I love thee. The 
question was three several times repeated by our 
blessed Saviour, and as many times answered 
by the apostle : it being but just that he, a\ ho 
by a tlireefold denial, had given so much rea- 
son to question his affection, should now, l)y a 
threefold confession, give more than common 
assurance of his sincere love for his Master ; 
and to each of these confessions, our great Re- 
deemer added this signal trial of his affection. 
Feed my sheep. 

Our dear Lord having thus engaged Peter tO 
a cheerful compliance with the dangers that 
might attend the discharge of his office, particu- 
larly intimated to him the fate that Avould at- 
tend him ; telling him, that when he Avas yoimg, 
he girt himself, lived at his pleasure, and went 
wherever his fancy directed him ; but M hcn he 
should reach the term of old age, he should 
stretch forth his hands, and another should gird 
and bind him, and lead hira \a hither he had no 
desire to go ; intimating, as the CA-angelist tells 
us, by w hat death he should glorify God, and 
seal the truth with his blood. 

St. Peter was not averse to drinking the bit- 
ter cup, and making his confession as public as 
his denial, tliat he might thereby testify the sin- 
cerity of his sorrow and contrition for his great 
offence. And seeing John following, he asked 
his great M^ter what should l)e his fate, aiid 

4 K 



326 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



whetlier he, who had been the object of his 
Master's love in his lite time, should not have 
as honourable a death as he that had denied 
him r To which Jesus replied, it doth not con- 
cern thee to know how I shall dispose of events 
with regai'd to him : he shall see the destruc- 
tion of the Je-w ish nation, and then go dowL 
in peace to the chambers of the dust. 

Our blessed Saviour soon after appeared to his 
disciples at Jerusalem, to take his last farewell 
of them, who had constantly attended liim dur- 
ing his public ministry amongst the sons of 
men. He had now led them out as far as 
Bethany, a small village on Mount Olivet, where 
he briefly told them, that they were the persons 
he had chosen to be the witnesses both of his 
deatli and resurrection ; a testimony which they 
should publish in every part of the world : in 
order to v/hich, he would, after his ascension 
into heaven, pour out his Spirit upon them in 
an extraordinary manner, that they might be 
the better enabled to struggle with that violent 
rage and fury with which the doctrine of the 
gospel would be opposed by men and devils ; 
adding, that in the mean time, they should re- 
turn to Jerusalem, and there wait till those mi- 
raculous powers were given from on high.... 
This discourse being finished, he laid hands 
upon them, and gave them his solemji benedic- 
tion ; during which he was taken from them, 
and received up into the regions of the heavenly 
Canaan. 

Our glorious Redeemer having left this vale 
of misery, and ascended into the blissful habi- 
tations of immoilality , the apostles began to act 
in conformity to the power and commission they 
had received from him. The first object that 
engaged tlieir attention, after their return to 
Jerusalem, was to fill up the vacancy in their 
- college, lately made by the unhappy fall and 
apostacy of Judas. In order to this they called 
together the church, and entered into an up- 
per room, when Peter, as president of the as- 
sembly, proposed to them the choice of a new 
apostle. He put them in mind that Judas, one 
of the disciples of their great and beloved 
Master, being betrayed by his covetous and 
insatiable temper, had lately fallen fi-om the 
honour of his place and ministry ; that this waa 
no more than what the prophet had long since 
foretold should come to pass ; and thi\X the care 



of the church which had been committed to- 
him, should devolve upon another ; that there- 
lore it was highly necessary that some person 
who had been familiarly conversant with the 
blessed Jesus, from first tolast, and consequent- 
ly, a competent witness both of his doctrine and 
miracles, his death, resurrection, and ascen- 
sion, should be substituted in his room, and 
appointed to that high ofiice. In order to which, 
two candidates were proposed, Joseph called 
Barsabas, and Matthias, both qualified for the 
great and important office of the apostleship ;' 
and having prayed that the Divine Providence 
would immediately guide and direct their choice^, 
they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Matthias, 
who was accordingly admitted into the num- 
ber of the twelve apostles of our Lord. 

This vacancy being filled up in the apostolic 
college, they spent their time in prayer and 
meditation, till the feast of Pentecost ; w:hen 
the promise of their great Master m sending tlie 
Holy Ghost, Avas fulfilled. The christian as- 
sembly were met as usual, to perform the pub- 
lic services of their worship, when suddenly 
a sound, like that of a mighty v.dnd, rushed in 
upon them, representing the powerful efficacy 
of that Divine Spirit which was now to be com- 
municated to them ; after which there appear- 
ed small flames of fire, which, in the shape of 
cloven tongues, descended and sat upon the 
head of each of them, to denote that the en- 
joyment of this gift should be constant and 
perpetual, and not like the prophets of old, who 
were inspired only at some particulai' times and 
seasons : upon which they were all filled with 
the Holy Ghost, Avhich, in an instant, enabled 
them to speak fluently several languages they had 
never learned, and probably never heard till this 
time. 

As this surprising transaction had different 
eftects on the minds of the audience, some con- 
sidering it as the effect of a miracle, and others 
to the power and strength of new wine : the 
apostles thereupon, all stood up, and Peter, in 
the name of the rest, undertook to confute this^ 
injurious calumny ; he told them that this scan- 
dalous slander proceeded from the spirit of ma- 
lice and falsehood ; that their censure was as 
uncharitable as it was unjust ; that it was early 
in the morning, and tl-ierefore, not a time for 
drinking, especially on a day set apart for de- 



AND LIVES OF 

votion ; that these extraordinary and miracu- 
lous effects were but the accomplishment of an 
ancient prophecy, which the Almighty had ex- 
pressly declared should be fulfilled in the times 
of the Messiiih ; that Jesus of Nazareth had 
evidently proved himself to be that great pro- 
phet, the Son of the Most High, by many un- 
questionable miracles, of which tliey themselves 
had been eye witnesses ; and though, by the 
permission of Omnipotence, who had deter- 
mined by tills means, to bring about the re- 
demption of mankind, they had v. ickedly cru- 
cified and slain Mm, yet God had raised him 
from the dead. 

Though this was the first discourse that St. 
Peter ever made in public, it deeph- affected 
die audience, and every word, like a dagger, 
pierced them to the heart ; so that they cried 
out, 3fe?i and brethren, w/iat shall xve do ? To 
which Peter answered, " The only way to ex- 
piate your guilt, and obtain pardon for the ma- 
ny sins you have committed, and acquire the 
gifts of the Holy Ghost, is to repent sincerely, 
and be baptized into the religion of this cruci- 
fied Saviour." 

A short tiiTiC after this \^-onderful con%'ersa- 
tion, Peter and John going up to the temple 
about three in the afternoon, near the conclu- 
sion of one of the solemn hours of prat er, they 
saw a poor impotent cripple, neai- iortx ve^u's 
of age, M'ho had been lame from his birth, Iving 
at the beautiful gate of the temple, and asking 
alms of those vs ho entered the sacred edifice. 
This miserable object moved their compas- 
sion ; and Peter beholding him with attention, 
said, " The riches of this world, the silver and 
gold so highly cov eted by the sons of men, are 
not in my po\ver to bestoxv ; but I possess the 
power of restoring life and healtlx, and am rea- 
d}- to assist thee." Then taking the man bv 
the hand, commanded him, in the name of Je- 
sus of Nazareth, to rise up and walk. Imme- 
diately the nerves and sinews ^vere enlarged, 
and the several parts of the chseased members 
performed their natural functions : upon which 
the man accompanied them into the temple, 
walking, leaping, aixi praising God for his cure. 

Aa event so sti-ange imd exti-aordinar}% filled 
tiie minds of the people ^vilh admiration, and 
their curiosity dixw them round the apostles, 
to vie^y the men who had performed it. Peter | 



HIS APOSTLES. 327 

seeing the multitude gathering round them, 
took the opportunity of speaking to them in the 
following m;uiner : " Men and bretliren, this 
remarkable cure should not excite your admi- 
ration of us, as if we had pertbrmed it by our 
own power ; it was \vrouglit in the name of 
Jesus of Nazareth, our crucified Master, by 
the power oi that very Christ, that holy and 
just person, whom you yourselves denied, and 
delivered to Pilate, nay, and preferred a mur- 
derer before him, \\ hen the governor was de- 
sirous of letting him go : but though you have 
put him to death, yet we are witnesses that he 
hath raised him again from the dead, and that 
he is ascended into heaven, where he ^vill re- 
main till the great and tremendous day of gen- 
eral restitution." 

AVhile Peter was speaking to the people in 
one part of the temple, John was, in all proba- 
bility, doing the same in the other : and the 
success plainly indicated, how powerful the 
preaching of the apostles was ; five thousand 
persons embracing the doctrines of the gospel, 
and acknowledging the crucified Jesus for their 
Lord and Redeemer, 

The attention and em y of the rulers of Is- 
rael could not fail of being excited at such 
amazing success from the preaching of the 
apostles : accordingly, the priests and Saddu- 
c-ees repaired to the Roman magistrate, and in- 
timated to him, diat in all probability, this con- 
course of people would prove the cause of a 
tumult and insurrection. Upon this informa- 
tion, the captain of the temple seized on the 
apostles, and cast them into prison. The next 
day they were carried before the Jew ish San- 
hedrim, and being asked by what power and 
authority they had done this, Peter boldly an- 
swered, " Be it knov.ii unto you, and to all tlie 
descendants of Jacob, that this miracle was 
UTOUght wholly in the ntune of Jesus of Naza- 
reth, whom ye yourselves have crucified and 
slain, and ^\hom the Almight}" hath raised 
again from die dead. This is the stone which 
}"0u builders refused, and which is become the 
head of the comer : nor is there any other \^"ay 
by which you, or any of the sons of men can 
be saved, but by this crucified Saviour, the 
Lord Jesus Christ." 

After beholding the apostles with a kind of 
astonishment, the court remembered that thcA- 



528 



LWE OF JESUS CHRIST 



Jiad seen thent with JEstr& of Nazareth, and 
. therefore ordered them to withdraw, while they 
debated amongst themselves what was proper 
to be done : it was impossible to deny the 
miracle, for it was performed before all the peo- 
ple, and the person on whom it was wrought, 
no stranger in Jerusalem. They therefore re- 
solved to charge them strictly not to preach any 
more in the name of Jesus : accordingly, they 
were again called in, and acquainted with this 
resolution of the council : to which the apos- 
tles answered, " That as they had received a 
commission from heaven, to declare to all na- 
tions what they had seen and heard, it was cer- 
tainly their duty to obey God rather than man." 

Although this was a fair appeal to the con- 
sciences of their very judges ; yet these rulers 
of Israel, instead of being satisfied with it, 
would in all probability, have proceeded to a 
greater violence, had not the people's venera- 
tion for the apostles checked their malice ; so 
that all they dared to do, was to enforce their 
menaces, and suffer them to depart. 

This intrepidity of the apostles had the de- 
sired effect, the church increased exceedingly ; 
and that so great a company, especially the poor 
and needy, might be maintained, the profess- 
ors of the religion of the holy Jesus, sold their 
estates, and brought the money to the apostles, 
that they might deposit it in one common trea- 
sury, and from thence supply the several exi- 
gencies of their poor brethren. 

We find, ho^vever, that hypocrisy was not 
unknown amongst the professors of religion, 
even in these primitive times. Ananias, and 
his wife Sapphira, having embraced the doc- 
trines of the gospel, pretended to follow the free 
and generous spirit of these times, by conse- 
crating and devoting their estate to the honour 
of God, and the necessities of the church.... 
Accordingly, they sold their possessions, and 
brought pait of the money and laid it at the 
apostle's feet ; hoping to deceive them, though 
guided by the spirit of Omnipotence : but 
Peter, at his first coming in, asked Ananias liow 
he could suffer Satan to fill his heart with such 
enormous wickedness, as to think to deceive 
the Holy Ghost ? That before it was sold, it 
was w^hoUy in his own power ; and afterwards 
the money entirely at his own disposal : so that 
his action was capable of no other iuterpreta- 



tion, than that he had not only abused and in- 
jured man, but mocked the Almighty himself, 
who he must know was privy to the most se- 
cret thoughts of his heait. 

No sooner had the apostle finished, than Ana- 
nias, to the gi'eat terror of all that were present, 
fell down dead by a stroke from heaven ; and 
not long after, his wife came in, whom Peter 
reproved in the same manner he had done her 
husband, adding, that she should immediately 
end her life in the same awful manner ; upon 
which she was smitten by the hand of Omnip- 
otence, and fell down dead ; sharing with hef 
husband in the punishment, as she had before 
in the heinous crime. 

This remarkable instance of severity, filled 
all the converts with fear and trembling, and 
prevented, in a great measure, that hypocrisy 
and dissimulation, by which others might flat- 
ter themselves to deceive the church. But 
such instances of severity were very extraor- 
dinary the power of the apostles was gene- 
rally exerted in works of mercy and benefi- 
cence towards the sons and daughters of afflic- 
tion : they cured all kinds of diseases, and cast 
out devils ; so that they brought the sick into 
the streets, and laid them on beds and couches., 
that the shadow at least of Peter, as he passed 
by, might cover some of them ; well knowings 
a single touch or word from either of the apos- 
tles, was sufficient to remove a disease of the 
most inveterate nature. 

However, these stupendous works of the 
apostles, and the growing numbers of the 
church, alarmed the rulers of Israel, who seiz- 
ed the apostles and cast them into prison. Their 
power, however was limited, and like the drop 
of a bucket to the ocean, \\ hen opposed to the 
almighty arm of the great Jehovah. The pri- 
son doors, though fastened vrith the utmost 
caution, opened of themselves at the approach 
of a messenger from the courts of heaven, who 
commanded the apostles to leave the dungeon, 
repair to the temple, and preach the glad tid- 
ings of the gospel to the people in Jerusalem. 

When the officers returned in the morning,, 
they found the prison doors shut and guarded, 
but tlie prisoners gone. This remarkable cir- 
cumstance greatly alarmed them, and they re- 
paired to the council to acquaint them M-itk 
what had happened.- The rulers were astoii* 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



329 



It 



Lshed at the news ; but hearing that tlie apos- 
tles were teaching in the temple, they sent an 
officer to bring them, without the least violence, 
to their persons, before the Sanhedrim. Their 
orders were soon obeyed, and the disciples of 
Jesus placed before the same court, by which 
■tlieir Master had been so lately condemned. 

Being thus brought before die Sanhedrim, 
the high priest asked the apostles how they 
dared to propagate a doctrine they had lately so 
-strictly charged them not to preach : to which 
Peter, in the name of the rest, replied, " We 
certainly oi:gat to obey God rather than man ; 
and though you have so barbarously and con- 
tumeliously treated the Saviour of the world, 
yet God hath raised him up to be a Prince and 
a Saviour, to give both repentance and remis- 
sion of sins : and of these things both we are 
•witnesses, together with the miraculous pow- 
ers which the Holy Ghost hath conferred on all 
Christians." 

As the apostles deli-^^ered this answer with 
remarkable boldness, it exasperated the coun- 
cil, and they began to consult how they might 
destroy them : but Gamaliel, a gi-ave and learn- 
ed counsellor, after commanding the apostles 
to -w'ithdraAV, desired them to proceed with 
caution in an affair of this nature ; reminding 
them, that several persons had already raised 
parties, and drawn great numbers of persons 
after them ; but that every one of them had 
miscarried, and all their designs wej-e rendered 
abortive, without the interposition of that court. 
That they would therefore do well to let the 
apostles alone ; for if their doctrines and de- 
signs were of human invention, they A\'ould 
come to nothing ; but if they were of God, all 
their po'iA ers and policy would be of no effect. 

The council Avere satisfied with this prudent 
and rational advice, and after commanding the 
apostles to be scourgqd, they strictly charged 
them to preach no more in the name of Jesus, 
and set them at liberty : but this charge had 
little effect on the disciples of the blessed Jesus ; 
they returned home in triumph, rejoicing that 
they were thought worthy to suffer in so right- 
eous a cause, and to undergo shame and re- 
proach for so kind and so powerful a Master. 

Hitherto the church at Jerusalem had been 
tossed with gentle storms, but now it was over- 
taken by a more violent tempest, which corn- 
No. 14. 4 



mcnced with the death of the proto-martyr 
Stephen, and was now carried on with greater 
violence ; nor did it end I)ut with the disper- 
sion of the disciples, i)y which means, the glad 
tidings of the gospel, which had till then been 
confined to Judea, and the professors of it hid 
in secret places, was now preached to the Gen- 
tile world, and an ancient prophecy fulfilled, 
which says. Out of Zion shall go forth the law, 

and the word of the Lord from Jeriisale?n 

Thus does the Almighty bring gcx)d out of 
evil, and cause the malicious intentions of the 
u ickcd to redound to his praise, in the further 
spreading of the truth. 

The followers of the blessed Jesus being 
thus dispersed, Philip the deacon retired to Sa- 
maria, where he preached the gospel, and con- 
firmed his doctrine by many miracidous cures, 
and casting out devils. In this city -w as one 
Simon, who, by magic ails and diabolical sor- 
ceries, was beheld with admiration by the peo- 
ple ; and some considered him as the great 
power of God, a name he blasphemously gave 
himself, pretending to be the first and chief deity , 
or what every nation considered as the supreme 
God. This wicked mortal, hearing the ser- 
mons of Philip, and beholding the miracles 
wrought by him, became a convert to the reli- 
gion of JeoUs, and was baptized with the others 
who had embraced Christianity. 

Several of the apostles who continued at Je- 
rusalem, were soon informed of this remai-ka- 
ble success of Philip's ministry at Samaria, and 
thought it necessiuy to send him assistance. 
Accordingly, Peter and John were deputed to 
this infant church, who having prayed and laid 
their hands on the nev,- converts, they received 
the Holy Ghost. Such miraculous gifts as- 
tonished the magician, and desirous of obtain- 
ing the same privilege, he offered the disciples 
money, to invest him w\\h. this poAver, that on 
whomsoever he laid his hands, he might re- 
ceive the Holy Ghost : bur P.^ter, M ho ptrceiv- 
ed die insincerity of his heart, rejected his offer 
with scorn and detestation. " Thy money, 
said that great aposde, perish with thee. And 
as thy heart is full of hypocrisy and deceit, Uiou 
canst have no shiu'e nor portion in so great a 
privilege. Thou wouldest do A\"ell to repent 
for so monstrous a crime, and sincerely apply 
thyself to seek the Almighty, tliat the thoughts 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



of thy heart may be forgiven thee ; for I per- 
ceive that tliy temper and disposition of mind 
is still vitious and corrupt, and that thou art 
yet bound by the chains of iniquity, and in a 
State displeasing to the Almighty, and danger- 
ous to the welfare of thy own soul." 

This speech of St. Peter terrified Simon, his 
conscience flew in his face, and he prayed the 
apostles to make intercession for him to the 
throne of grace, that the Almighty might par- 
don his sin, and not inflict on him those heavy 
judgments they had denounced. 

After this violent storm, the church enjoyed 
a time of calmness and serenity ; during which 
S*:. Peter went to visit the churches lately 
planted in those parts, by the disciples whom 
the persecution had dispersed : and at his ar- 
rival at Lydda, he miraculously healed iEneas, 
v/ho had been afflicted with the palsy, and con- 
fined to his bed eight years ; but on Peter's 
bidding him arise in the name of Jesus, he was 
immediately restored to perfect health. Nor 
was the success of this miracle confined to 
/Eneas and his family, the fame of it being 
blazed through all the neighbouring country, 
and many believed in the doctrine of the Son 
of God. It was even known at Joppa, a sea 
port town, about six miles fi-om Lydda ; and 
the bretliren immediately sent for Peter, on the 
following melancholy occasion : Tabitha, whose 
Greek name was Dorcas, a woman venerable 
for her piety and extensive charity, was newly 
dead, to the great loss of all mankind who 
loved the paths of virtue, especially the poor 
and afflicted, Vv ho were supported by her be- 
nevolence 

When St. Peter arrived, he found her dres- 
sed for her funeral solemnity, and surrounded 
by mournful widows, who shewed the coats 



stayed a considerable time here, and lodged in 
the house of ene Simon, a Tanner, at Joppa. 

While he abode in this city, one day when 
he was offering up his prayers to the Almighty, 
he found himself hungry, and called for meat ; 
but while it was dressing for him, he fell into 
a trance, wherein was presented to him a large 
sheet let down from heaven, containing all sorts 
of creatures, clean and unclean; and at the 
same time, a voice said to him, Arise Peter, 
kill and eat : but the apostle, as yet tenacious 
of the rites and institutions of the Mosaic law, 
answered, that his conscience refused to com- 
ply, having never eaten any thing that was com- 
mon or unclean. To which the voice replied, 
" That it M^as unjust to consider that as com- 
mon, which God had cleansed." This was 
done thrice, after which the vessel was again 
drawn up to heaven, and the vision disappeared. 
By this symbolical representation, St. Peter 
was given to understand, that tlie Almighty 
was now going to send him on a new embass}', 
which the spirit at the same time commanded 
him to undertake. While he was still won- 
dering with himself what the event would 
prove, three messengers knocked at the gate, 
inquiring for him ; and from them he received 
the following account : That Cornelius, a Ro- 
man, captain of a band of Italian soldiers at 
Cesarea, a person of great piety and religion, 
one who had long been a proselyte of the gate, 
had sent for him by an immediate command 
from God. Peter, accompanied with some of 
the brethren, went the next day with the mes- 
sengers, and soon after arrived at Cesarea. 

Cornelius having infoiTOation of his coming, 
had summoned his friends and kindred to Ce- 
sarea ; and at the apostle's entering his house, 
fell at his feet, a method of address frequent 
in the eastern countries : but Peter, who con- 



and garments ^vherewith she had cloathed them , sidered that honour as dtie only to the Almighty, 



the monuments of her liberality : but Peter 
put them all out, and kneeling down, prayed 
with the utmost fervency ; then turning to the 
body, he commanded her to arise, and taking 
her by the hand, presented her in perfect health 
to her friends and others, who were assembled 
to pay their last duties to so good a woman. 
This miracle confirmed those who had newly 
embraced the gospel of Jesus, and converted 
Biany more to the faith. After which;, he 



lifted him up, and declared to the company the 
reason of his coming, saying he had lately learn- 
ed, that with God there was no respect of per- 
sons. 

As soon as the apostle had ended his speech, 
Cornelius, at his request, related the particular 
reason for his sending for him. Four days 
ago, said this Roman officer, being conversant 
in the duties of fasting and prayer, an angel 
from the courts of heaven appeared to me, dje- 



AND LIVES OF 

daring that my prayers and alms were come up 
as a memorial before the tlirone of the Most 
High ; and at the same time, ordered me to 
send to Joppa for one Simon Peter, who lodg- 
ed in the house of a T iuiner, near the sea side, 
who would give me further information in the 
duties of religion. Accordingly, I made no 
hesitation to obey the heavenly messenger, but 
sent immediately for thee." 

The apostle was at first astonished at this re- 
lation of the centurion ; but he was soon con- 
vinced that God had broken down the parti- 
tion wall, and no longer maintained a peculiar 
kindness for the sons of Jacob ; that it was not 
the nation, but the religion ; not the external 
■quality of the man, but the internal temper of 
tlie mind, that recommended the human race 
to the favour of Omnipotence : that the devout 
and pious, the righteous and the good man, 
whatever part of the earth he may inhabit, is 
the favourite of heaven ; that God as higWy 
respects a just and virtuous man in the baiTcn 
wastes of Sc}' thia, as on the mountain of Sion ; 
that the reconciling and making peace between 
God and man by Jesus Christ, was the doc- 
trine published by the prophets of old ; and that 
God had now anointed and consecrated Jesus 
of Nazareth with divine power, in the exercise 
-whereof he went about doing good to the chil- 
dren of men. 

At the time that Peter was thus preaching to 
them, tlie Holy Ghost fell upon the greatest 
part of his hearers, enabling them to £peak se- 
veral languages, and in them to magnify the 
s:reat creator of the sons of men. At this the 
Jews, who accompanied Peter, marvelled ex- 
ceedingly, to see that the gifts of the Hol)- 
Ghost Avere poured upon the GentiitG; and 
Peter seemg this, told the compai"!}', tliat he 
knew no reason why these per>;ons should not 
be baptized, as diey had received the Holy 
Ghost as well as them : and accordingly, he gave 
orders tliat they should be baptized ; ai:id to con- 
firm them in tlic holy faith they had embraced, 
he tarried some time A\ iih them. 

Having thus finished his visitation to the nt^v 
planted churches, Peter returned to Jerusalem, 
aiid WHS indefatigable in instmcting the con- 
'rerts in the religion of Jesus, and preaching 
the glad tidings of salvation to tiie descendants 
of Jacob : but he did not long continue in tliis • 



HIS APOSTLES. * 331 

pleasing course ; Herod Agrippa, in order to 
ingratiate himself into the favour of the Jews, 
put St. James to death, and finding the action 
was highly acceptable to that stiif-necked peo- 
ple, he resolved to extend his cruelty to Peter, 
and accordingly cast him into prison : but the 
churches were incessant in their prayers to God 
for his siifety : and what have mortals to fear, 
when guarded by the hand of Omnipotence ! 
Herod was persuaded he should soon accom- 
plish his intention, and sacrifice Peter to the in- 
satiable cruelty of the Jews. 

The night before this intended execution, a 
messenger from the courts of heaven visited the 
gloomy horrors of the dungeon, where he found 
Peter asleep betAveen his keepers. The angel 
raised liim up, took off his chains, ordered him 
to gird on his garments, and follow him : 
Peter obeyed, and ha\ ing passed through the 
first and second watch, they came to the iron 
gate leading to the city, a\ hich opened to them 
of its own accord : the angel also accompanied 
him through one of the streets, and then depart- 
ed from him ; on which Peter came to him- 
self, and perceived diat it \\ as no vision, but 
that his great and beloved Master had really 
sent a messenger from above, and released him 
from prison. He tl>crefore repaired to the house 
of Maiy, Ad here the cliurch a\ as assembled, and 
oft'ering up their prayers, to the throne of grace 
for his safety. On his knocking at the door, a 
maid Mho came to let liim in, kno\ving liis 
voice, ran back to tell them that Peter was at 
the door, which the}^ at first considered as the 
eliect of fancy : but the damsel continuing to 
afiirm that it \vas really true, the}" concluded it 
Avas an angel, or some messenger serit to him 
from the court of heaven : but on opening tlie 
door, they wereconvmced of their mistake, find- 
ing that it M as really Peter himself, m ho briefly 
told them how he was delivered; and, desiring 
diem to inform his brethren of his being set at 
liberty, retired from them. 

The officers came in the moniingfrom Herod 
to the prison, Avith orders to bring Peter out to 
the people, M ho M-ere gathered together to be- 
hold his execution : but M hen they came to the 
prison, the keepers informed them, that the 
\posde had made his escape ; m hich so exas- 
perated Herod, that he commaiided those to br 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



put to death who were intrusted with the care 
of the prisoner. 

After this miraculous deUverance of St. Peter, 
a controversy arose between the Jewish and the 
Gentile converts, with regard to the observation 
of the Mosaic laAv, a dispute which gave great 
uneasiness to the minds of many persons ; the 
Jews zealously contending, that it was abso- 
lutely necessary to salvation to be circumcised, 
and observe the precepts of the ceremonial law, 
as well as those of the gospel. To compose 
this difference, it was thought necessary to sum- 
mon a general council of the apostles and breth- 
ren to meet at Jerusalem. This was accord- 
ingly done, and the case thoroughly debated. 

At last Peter stood up, and declared, that 
God having chosen him out of all the apostles 
to be a preacher of the gospel, not only to the 
Jews, but also to the Gentiles, God, who was 
best able to judge of the hearts of men, had 
borne witness to them, that they were accepted 
of him, by giving them his Holy Spirit, as he 
had done the Jews ; and, consequently, that there 
was no difference between them. 

St. Peter's declaration convinced the church, 
and it was unanimously decreed, that no other 
burthen than the temporaiy observance of a few 
paiticuiar precepts, equally convenient to the 
Jew and Gentile, should be imposed on them : 
and the decision was drawn up into a s3'nodical 
epistle, and sent to the several churches, for al- 
laying the heats and controversies v/hich had 
been occasioned by this dispute. 

Peter soon after left Jerusalem, and went 
down to Antioch ; where, using the liberty 
given him by the gospel, he freely ate and con- 
versed with the Gentile proselytes, considering 
them now as fclloiv-citizens xvith the saints, and 
of the household of God. This he had been 
taught by the vision of the sheet let down from 
lieaven : this had been lately decreed at Jeru- 
salem ; this he had before practised '\\\t\\ regard 
to Cornelius and his family, and justified the 
action to the satisfaction of his accusers ; and 
this he had freely and innocently done at Anti- 
och, till some of tlie Jewish brethren coming 
thither, he, for fear of ofiending them, withdrew 
himself from the Gentiles, as if it had been un- 
lawful for him to hold conversation with un- 
circumcised persons ; notwithstanding he knew, 
and was luUy satisfied, that our blessed Saviour 



had broken doAvn the partition-wall between the 
Jew and Gentile, under the gospel. 

Having thus acted against the light of his ' 
own mind and judgment, Peter condemned 
what he had approved, and destroyed the su- 
perstructure he had before erected ; at the 
same time, he confirmed the Jewish zealots in 
dieir inveterate errors, filled the minds of the 
Gentiles with scruples, and their consciences 
with fears. Nor was this all, the old prejudices 
between Jew and Gentile were revived, and the 
whole number of Jewish converts, foilowins: the 
apostle's example, separated themselves from 
the company of the Gentile Christians ; nay, 
even Barnabas himself was carried a\^ ay by the 
torrent of unwarrantable practices that now un- 
happily prevailed. 

The apostle Paul was now at Antioch, and 
resolutely opposed St. Peter to his face ; he 
publicly reproved him, as a person worthy to be 
blamed for his gross prevarication. He rea- 
soned and severely expostulated with him,that he 
who Avas himself a Jew, and consequently under 
a more immediate obligTition of observing the 
Mosaic law, should throw off the yoke himself, 
and at the same time, endeavour to impose it on 
the Gentiles, who ^^'ere never under the neces- 
sity of observing the ceremonies of the Israe- 
lites : a severe thoug'n an impartial charge. 

Thus far we had an infallible guide to direct 
us in writing the life of this great apostle ; but 
here the sacred historian hath left us, and there- 
fore we must have recourse to the ancients for 
materials in the further prosecution of his his- 
tory. 

Before this contest at Antioch, St. Peter had- 
preached the gospel in various parts of the 
world, enlarged the kingdom of his great Mas- 
ter, and spreading the glad-tidings of salvation 
amongst the inhabitants of various countries ; 
and, amongst the icest, those of Rome, then the 
mistress of the world. In that capital he is said 
to have continued several years, till the empe- 
ror Claudius, taking advantage of some sedi- 
tious tumults raised by the Jews, -published an 
edict, whereby they were banished frtHn Rome, 
and amongst the rest St. Peter, who returned 
to Jerusalem, and was present at the synod ql. 
ready mentioned : but how long he continued 
in the capital of Judea, is uncertain ; for we 
have no account of his transactions for many 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



333 



years. This, ho\ve\ cr is certaui, that he was 
not idle in the service of his great Master ; and 
Eusebius tells us, from Metaphrastes, that he 
visited several of the western parts, and parti - 
cularlv this island of Great-Britain ; \\ here he 
continued several years, spreading the glad 
tidings of salvation in these remote parts, and 
con-\-erting the several nations to the faith of the 
gospel. 

Hovre\'er this be, whether St. Peter was or 
was not in England, it is certain, that towards 
the latter end of Nero's reign, he returned to 
Rome, wliere he found the minds of the people 
strangely bewitched, and hardened against the 
doctrines of the gospel, bj' the sorceries of 
Simon Magus, vvho, as I have already observed. 
Was chastised by Peter, for his wickedness at 
Samaria. This monster of impiety, not onlv 
opposed the preaching of the apostles, but also 
did all in his power to render them and their 
docti'ines odious to the emperor. St. Peter 
foreseeing that the calumnies of Simon and his 
adherents Mould hasten liis death, took the 
greater pains, and was still more assiduous to 
confinn those he had been any ways instrumental 
in converting in tlie sublime truths they had re- 
ceived. 

In order to tliis, the apostle strongly opposed 
the great deceiver of mankind : for in the last 
year of his life, he seems to have \\Titten his 
two epistles to the dispersed Jews in Pontus, 
Galatia, Cappadocia, and Bythirua ; and, in an 
appointed encounter "\\ ith Simon, discovered 
his magical impostures, and through the pow- 
er and the assistance of the Almighty, brought 
liim to an exemplary and miserable death. 

The account of the miserable end of this un- 
happy man, no sooner reached the emperor's 
ears, than he vowed revenge, both for the death 
of his favourite, and the endeavours used bv 
the apostles to turn mankind^from darkness un- 
to light, and from the power of Satan unto God. 
Accordingly, he issued orders for apprehend- 
ing St. Peter, togetlier M ith his compaiiion St. 
Paul. St. Ambrose tells us, that when the 
people perceived the danger to which St. Peter 
was now exposed, they prayed him to quit 
Rome, and repair for a while to some secure 
retreat, that his life might be presen'ed for the 
benefit of the church. Peter, with great reluc- 
tance, yielded to their entreaties, and made his 
No. 14. 4 



escape by night : but as he passed the gate, he 
was met by a person in the iorm oi his great 
and beloved Master, and on Peter's asking 
him, whither he m as going, answered, " To 
Rome, to be crucified a second time :" which 
Peter taking for a reproof of his cowiu'dice, re- 
turned again into tlie city, was soon after ap- 
prehended, and cast, together with St. Paul, 
into the Mamertine prisoji. Here Uit y w ere 
confined eight or nine months, but spent their 
time in the exercises of religion, especially in 
preaching to the prisoners, and those who re- 
sorted to them : and during this confinement, 
it is generally thought, St. Peter A\Tote his se- 
cond epistle to the dispersed Jc\\ s ; w herein he 
endea% ours to confirm them in the belief and 
practice of Christianit}-, and to fortif}- them 
against those poisonous and pernicious princi- 
ples and actions, which began to break in upon 
tlie church, then in its infancy. 

At length, Nero returning fi-om Achaia, he 
entered Rome in triumph ; and, soon after his 
arri^•al, resolved that the aposdes should fall as 
victims and sacrifices to liis cruelt}'and revenge. 
^^'hile the fatal sti-oke \\"as daily expected, the 
Christians in Rome were continually ofiering 
up their prayers to heaven, to protect those t^vo 
holy persons : but die Almighty was now \\ il- 
ling to put an end to their sorro\^'s ; and after 
sealing the truth they had preached, M ith their 
0A\ n blood, to receive them into the regions of 
eternal bliss and happiness, and exchange theii- 
crowns of martyrdom for crowns of glor}".... 
Accordinglv, thev were both condemned by 
the cruel emperor of Rome; and St. Peter 
having taken liis farewell of die brethren, espe- 
cially of St. Paul, was taken from die prison, 
and led to the top of the ^'atican mount, near 
die Tiber, ^^■here he was sentenced to surren- 
der up his life by crucifixion. 

Coming to the place of execution, he begged 
the favour of the officers, that he might not be 
crucified in the common manner, but w ith his 
head down\\ ai ds ; affirming that he ^\•as unwor- 
thy to suffer in the same posture, in which his 
Lord had suffered before him. This request 
was accordingly complied \^"ith, and the great 
apostle, St. Peter, surrendered up his soul into 
the hands of his great and beneficent Master, 
who came down firom heaven to ransom man- 

M 



334 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



kind from destruction, and to open the gates of 
the heavenly Canaan, to all believers. 

The body of St. Peter being taken down 
from the cross, is said to have been embalmed 
by Mercelinus, the Presbyter, after the manner 
of the Jews, and then buried in the Vatican, 
near the Appian Way, two miles from Rome. 
Here it remained till the time of pope Cornelius, 
who conveyed it to the Vatican at Rome, where 
it rested in an obscure place, till the reign of 
Constantine, who, from tlie great reverence he 
entertained for the Christian religion, erected 
many churches at Rome, and i^e-built, and vast- 
ly enlarged the Vatican, in honour of St. Peter. 

If we consider St. Peter as a man, there will 
seem to have been a natural eagerness predo- 
minant in his temper, which animated his soul 
to the most bold and generous undertakings : 
but if we consider him as a disciple of the bless- 
ed Jesus, we shall find him exemplary in the 
great duties of religion. 

To conclude.... if we consider him as an 
apostle, as a pastor, or a shepherd of the souls 
of men, we shall find him faithful and diligent 
in his office, zealously endeavouring to instruct 
the ignorant, reduce the erroneous, strengthen 
the weak, confirm the strong, reclaim the vici- 
ous, and turn the children of men into the paths 
of righteousness. He never omitted any op- 
portunity of preaching to the people, and 
spreading the glad tidings of the gospel amongst 
the human race : and so powerful were his ■ 



discourses, that he converted many thousands 
at one time. How many painful jourmes and 
dangerous voyages did he undertake ! With 
what unconquerable patience did he endure the 
greatest trials, surmount every difficulty, and 
remove every obstacle, that he might plant the 
gospel of his beloved Master ! Never refusing 
even to lay down his life to promote it : nor 
was he only assiduous to perform these duties 
himself ; he was also careful to animate others 
to do the like, earnestly pressing and persuad- 
ing the pastors and governors of the church, to 
feed the flock of God, to labour freely for the 
good of tlie souls of men, and not undertake 
those offices to acquire advantages to them- 
selves ; beseeching them to treat the flock com- . 
mittedto their care, with lenity and gentleness, 
and to be themselves shining examples of pie- 
ty and religion, the surest method of rendering 
their ministry successful : and because it was 
impossible for him to be always present, to 
teach and warn the children of men, he endea- 
voured by letters, to imprint in their minds, 
the practice of what they had been taught : a 
method, he tells us, he was resolved to pursue, 
as long as he continued an inhabitant of this 
world ; thinking it meet, while he was in this 
tabernacle, to stir up the professoi s of the gos- 
pel, by putting them in mind of these things i 
that so they might be able, after his decease, 
to have them always in remembrance, and not 
let them slip out of their minds. 



AND LIVES OF fflS APOSTLES. 



335 



ST. JUDE, THE APOSTLE. 



ST. JUDE is mentioned by three several 
names in the evangehcal history, namely, 
Jude or Judas, Thaddeus, and Lebbeus. The 
first he had in common with the other Jews, and 
in the honour of one of the twelve patricirchs ; the 
other two might be added to the former, partly 
to distinguish him from Judas the traitor, who 
had rendered the name odious to the Christians, 
and partly as a commendation of his wisdom 
and zeal : for Lebbeus, according to St. Je- 
rom, signifies a man of understanding, and 
Thaddeus imports divine fervour, and hence 
some of the fathers call him Zelotes, or Zeal- 
ous. 

This apostle Avas brother to St. James the 
Less, afterwards bishop of Jerusalem, being the 
son of Joseph, the reputed father of Christ, 
by a former wife. It is not known when, or 
by what means, he became a d isciple of our bless- 
ed Saviour, nothing being said of him, till we 
find him in the catalogue of the tw elve apostles ; 
nor afterwards till Christ's last supper, when 
discoursing with them about his depaiture, and 
comforting them with a promise, that he would 
return to them again, meariing after his resur- 
rection, and that the world should see him no 
more, though they should see him ; our apos- 
tle said to his Master, Lord^ how is it that thou 
wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the 
world? It seems from this question, that St. 
Jude expected that the Messiali AA^ould establish 
a secular kingdom ; and therefore could not 
reconcile the solenmity and grandeur of it, with 
the private manifestations of C h r i s t , to his dis- 
ciples only. 

It is affirmed by St. Jerom, that St. Thomas 
sent St. Jude the apostle, soon after our Lord's 
ascension, to Edessa, to heal Abagarus : but 
this is a mistake, it bemg Thaddeus, one of the 
seventy disciples, and not Judas Thaddeus the 
apostle, who was sent to Abagarus. 

We are told by Paulinus, that the province 
which fell to the share of St. Jude in the apos- 
tolic division of the provinces, was Lybia ; but 



he does not tell us, whether it was the Cyrt 
nean Lybia, which is thought to have received 
the gospel from St. Mark, or the more south- 
ern part of Africa : but however that be, in his 
first setting out to preach the gospel, he travel- 
led up and down Judea and Galilee ; then 
through Samaria into Idumea, and to the cities 
of Arabia, and the neighbouring countries, and 
afterwards to Syria and Mesopotamia. Nice- 
phorus adds, that he came at last to Edessa, 
where Abagarus governed, and v\ here Thad- 
deus, one of the seventy, had iilready sown the 
seeds of the gospel. Here he perfected .what 
the other had begun ; and having by his ser- 
mons and miracles established the religion of 
Jesus, he died in peace ; but others say, that 
he was slain at Berytes, and honourably buried 
there. 

The writers of the Latin church are unani- 
mous in declaring, that St. Jude travelled into 
Persia, where, after great success in his apos- 
tolical ministry for many years, he was at last, 
lor his free and open reproving the superstitious 
rites and customs of the Magi, cruelly put to 
death by the enemies of the gospel. 

W e do not find that St. Jude left more than 
one epistle, which is placed the last of those 
seven, styled catholic, in the sacred canon. It 
hath no particular inscription, as the other six 
have, but is thought to have been primarily 
intended for the Christian Jews, in their several 
dispersions, as St. Peter's epistles were. In 
it he tells them, " That he at first intended to 
VA rite to them in general, of the common salva- 
tion, and establish and confirm them in it : but 
seeing the doctrine of Christ attacked on 
every side by Heretics, he conceived it more 
necessary to spend his time in exhorting them 
to fight manfully in defence of the faith once 
delivered to the saints, and oppose tlie fiilse 
teachers who laboured so indefatigably to cor- 
rupt tlie truth." 

It is generally understood, the Heretics meant 
in lliis episde, Averc the Nicoiatiaus, the Gnos- 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



tics, the followers of Simon Magus, and others of 
the same kind, whose morals were as corrupt 
as their doctrine, trusting to a faith without 
works, as sufficient to their salvation : so that 
the subject of St. Jude's epistle is nearly the 
same with that of the second of St. Peter, whose 
sense he generally follows, and often uses the 
very same expressions : only as tlie infection 
had spread itself further, and had gotten more 
ground, he seems to oppose those Heretics Math 
more zeal and sharpness than St. Peter had 
done : but because true Christian charity, 
though it be zealous, yet is without bitter- 
ness and hatred, he exhorts the Christians to use 
gentle methods with those deluded people, and 
to pluck them as brands out of the fire ; mean- 
ing, by fire, their impious principles and prac- 
tices, which, if continued in, would certainly 
consume them. He seems expressly to cite 
St. Peter's second epistle, and to intimate plain- 
ly that most of the apostles were dead ; so that 
his epistle seems not to have been written till 
after Nero's reign and the destruction of Jeru- 
salem by the Romans. 

This epistle was not at first generally receiv- 
ed in the church : the author indeed, like St. 
James, St. John, and sometimes St Paul him- 
self, does not call himself an apostle, styling 



himself only the servant of Christ : but he has 
added what is equivalent, Jude the brother of 
James^ a character that can belong to none but 
our apostle : and surely the humility of a fol- 
lower of Jesus should be no objection against 
his writings, but rather be a recommendation of 
them. 

One great objection against this epistle, was, 
the apostle's mentioning the ti-adition of 
Michael the archangel, contending with the 
Devil about the body of Moses, but he has 
done no more than St. Paul in naming Jannes 
and Jambres ; namely, alleging a story M'hich 
was then current and acknowledged by the 
Jews, though nothing of it was inserted in the 
sacred writings : so that St. Jude reasons with 
the Jews from their own authors and conces- 
sions, the more easily to convince and confute 
them. 

We have now, we trust, obviated the diffi- 
culties that have arisen concerning the epistle 
of St. Jude ; and Eusebius tells us, that in his 
time most churches read it publicly : it is in- 
deed evident, that before the close of the fourth 
age, it was acknowledged as canonical Scrip- 
ture, in the councils of Laodiceaand Chathage, 
by general consent. 



AN ACCOUNT OF ST. THOMAS, THE APOSTLE. 



THE Jews, when they travelled into foreign 
countries, or familiarly conversed with 
the Greeks and Romans, were wont to assume 
a Latin name of the same signification, or at 
least that bore some affinity with that by which 
they were known in their own country. Thus 
our blessed Saviour was called Christ, an- 
sv/ering to his Hebrew title Messiah, the anoint- 
ed : Simon, who was called Cephas in Hebrew, 
was styled Petros in Greek, both signifying a 
rock : Tabitha was called Dorcas, both signi- 
fying a goat : and thus Thomas, according to 
the Syriac imDort of his name, was called Didy- 



mus, a twin, which is the meaning of both ap- 
pellations. 

There is no mention in the evangelical his- 
tory eitlier of the country or kindred of St. 
Thomas : it is however certain that he was a 
Jew, and in all probability a Galilean. Meta- 
phrastes tells us, that he was descended from 
very mean parents. M ho brought him up to the 
trade of fishing ; but at the same time, took, 
care to give him a more useful education, in« 
structing him in the knowledge of the Scrip- 
tures, whereby he learned wisely to regulate 
his conduct. 



AND LIVES OP HIS APOSTLES. 



This apostle was^ together with the rest, 
ealled to the apostleship, and not long cifter, 
gave an eminent instance of his being ready to 
undergo the most melancholy fate that might 
attend him : for when the rest of the apostles 
were dissuading their Master from going into 
Judea, at the time of Lazarus' death, because 
the Jews lately endeavoured to stone him, Tho^ 
mas desired them not to hinder his journey 
thither, though it might cost them all their 
lives : Let us go, said he, that we may die with 
him ; concluding^ that iristead of Lazarus be- 
ing raised from the dead, they should all, like 
Hm, be placed in the chambers of the dust. 

The holy Jesus, a little before his sufferings, 
had been speaking to them of the joys of heav- 
en, and had told them, that he was going to 
prepare mansions for them, that they might fol- 
low him, and that they knew both tiie place 
whither he was going, and the way thither : on 
hearing this, our apostle replied, that they knew 
not whither he was going, much less, the way 
\% that would lead them thither. To which our 
Lord returned this short but satisfactory an- 
swer ; / am the way ; I am the person whom 
the Father hath sent into the world, to shew 
mankind the paths that lead to eternal life, and 
therefore, you cannot miss the way, if you fol- 
low my example, and obey my precepts. 

The minds of the disciples, who had seen 
their great Master expire on the cross, were 
distracted by hopes and fears, concerning his 
resurrection, about which they were not then 
fully satisfied, which engaged him the sooner 
to hasten his appearance, that by the sensible 
manifestations of himself, he might put the 
matter beyond all possibility of dispute. Ac- 
cordingly, the very day on which he arose from 
the dead, he came into the house where they 
were assembled, M^hile, for fear of the Jews, 
the doors were close shut, and gave them suf- 
ficient assurance that he was risen from the 
tlead. Thomas was not present at this meeting, 
having probably never rejoined their company, 
since their dispersion in the garden, when ev- 
ery one's fears prompted him to consult his 
own safety. At his return, they told him, that 
the Lord had appeai-ed to them, but he obsti- 
nately refused to give credit to what they said, 
or to believe that it was really he, presuming 
it rather a spectre or apparition, unless he might 
No. 15. 4N 



see the very print of the nails, and feel the 
wounds in his hands and side : a strange piece 
of infidelity ! Was it any thing more tlian what 
Moses and the prophets had long since foretold? 
Had not our Lord frequently declared, in plain 
tenris, that he must rise from the dead the third 
day ? And could they question the possibility^ 
of what he told them, when they had so often 
seen him work the greatest miracles. 

The stubbornness of Thomas, on this occa- 
sion, might have betrayed him into an eternal 
infidelity ; but oiu" compassionate Saviour 
would not take the advantage of his perverse 
obstinacy ; for, on that day seven-night, he 
came again to them, as they were solemnly 
met at their devotions, and, calling to Thomas, 
bade him look upon his hands, put his fingert 
into the print of the nails, and thrust his hand 
into his side, to satisfy his faith by a demons- 
tration from the senses. Thomas was soon con- 
vinced ol his error and obstinacy, confessing 
that he now acknowledged him to be his Lord 
and Master, a God omnipotent, as he was thus 
able to rescue himself fi-om the power of death. 
Our Lord answered, that it was happy for him 
that he believed the testimony of his own sen- 
ses; but that it was a more noble and com- 
mendable act of faith, to acquiesce in a rational 
evidence, and to receive the doctrines and pre- 
cepts of the gospel, upon such testimonies and 
assurances, as will satisfy a wise and sober man, 
though he did not himself behold them. 

After the blessed Jesus had left this vale of 
misery, and bestow ed eminent gifts and mira- 
culous powers on the apostles, St. Thomas, as 
well as the rest, preached the gospel in several 
parts of Judea ; and, after the dispersion of the 
Christian Church in Jerusalem, repaired into 
Parthia, the province assigned him for his min- ■- 
istry. After which, as Sempronius and' others 
inform us, he preached the gospel to the Medes, 
Persians, Caramanians, Hyrcani, Bactiu^ians, 
and the neighbouring nations. 

Departing from Persia, he travelled into 
Etliiopia, preaching the glad tidings of the gos- 
pel, healijig their sick, and w orking other ".nir- 
acles, to prove he had his commission from on 
high. And after tra\'elling through these coun- 
tries, he entered the Indian territories. 

We are told by Nicephorus, that he was at 
first unwilling to enter these countries, fearing 



338 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



he should find their manners as rude and in- 
tractable as their faces were black and deform- 
ed, till encouragedby a vision, wherein he was 
assured of the Divine presence to assist him. 
He travelled a great way into these eastern coun- 
tries, and even visited the island Taprobane, 
since called Sumatra, and the country of the 
Brachmans, preaching every where with the 
greatest gentleness, and using the most persua- 
sive discourses, not flying out into invectives 
against their idolatrous practices, but calmly 
instructing them in the doctrines of Christian- 
ity, persuading them by degrees, to renounce 
their follies, well knowing that confirmed ha- 
bits must be cured by patience and forbearance, 
by slow and gentle methods ; and by these 
means he reclaimed the people, from the gross- 
est errors and superstitions, to an hearty belief 
and reception of Christianity. 

The Portuguese, when they first visited 
these countries, after their discovery of a pas- 
sage by the Cape of Good Hope, received the 
following particulars, partly from ancient mo- 
numents, and partly from constant and uncon- 
troverted traditions, preserved by the Chris- 
tians in those parts ; namely, that St. Thomas 
came first to Socotora, an island in the Arabian 
sea, and thence to Cranganor, where, having 
converted many fi'om the error of their ways, 
he travelled further into the East : and having 
successfully preached the gospel, returned back 
to the kingdom of Coromandel, where, at 
Malipur, the metropolis of the kingdom, not 
iar from the mouth of the Ganges, he began 



to erect a place for divine worship, till prohi- 
bited by the idolatrous priests, as well as by 
Sagamo, prince of that countr}'^ : but after per- 
forming several miracles, the work was suffer- 
ed to proceed, and Sagamo himself embraced 
the Christian faith, whose example was soon 
followed by great numbers of his subjects and 
attendants. 

The Brachmans were greatly alarmed at this 
remarkable success, as they plainly perceived 
that their religion would be soon extirpated, 
unless some method could be found of putting 
a stop to the progi'ess of Christianity ; and 
therefore, resolved to put tlie apostle to death. 
At a small distance from the city was a tomb, 
whither St. Thomas often retired for private 
devotions. Hither the Brachmans and their 
armed folloners pursued him, and while he 
Avas intent at prayer, they first shot at him a 
shower of darts, after w hicli, one of the priests 
run him through with a lance. His body was 
taken up by his disciples, and buried in the 
church he had lately erected, and which was 
iiftcrwards improved into a stately and magni- 
ficent fabric. 

According to St. Chrysostom, St. Thomas, 
who at first was the weakest and most incredu- 
lous of all the apostles, became, through 
Christ's condescension to satisfy his scruples, 
and the power' of the divine grace, the most 
active and invincible of them all ; travelling- 
over most parts of the world, and living with- 
out fear in the midst of barbarous naiions, for 
the propagation of tlie Christian faith. 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



S39 



AN ACCOUNT OF ST. ANDREW, THE APOSTLE. 



ALTHOUGH the sacred historians have 
largely described the ti'ansactions of St. 
Peter and St. Paul, yet we find they ha\'e been 
sparing in their accounts of the other apostles, 
gi^'ing lis only now and then a few oblique 
strokes and accidental remarks, concerning 
them. Why no more of their respective ac- 
tions were recorded by the penmen of the hoi}" 
Scriptures, is to us unknown : perhaps the 
Di\'ine Pro\'idence thou2:ht it convenient that 
no further account should be given of the first 
planting of ClirisUanit}- in the world, than what 
concerned Judea and the neiQ-hbourins: coun- 
tries, at least, the most eminent places in the 
Roman empire, that the truth of the propheti- 
cal predictions might appear, \vhich had fore- 
told, Thixt the law of the MessiaJi Mow/f/ cowe 
/ort/i from Zion, and thevcord of the Lord from 
Jerusalem. Besides, a particular relation of 
the acts of so many apostles, performed in so 
many countries, must have s-u ellcd the sacred 
volumes to an enormous bulk, and consequent- 
ly rendered them less ser\ iceable to tlie use of 
Christians in general. 

The apostle St. Andre^^-, was bom at Beth- 
saida, a city of Galilee, built on the banks ol 
■the lake of Gennesareth, and was son to John 
or Jonas, a fisherman of that to\ra= He was 
brother to Simon Peter, but v.hether elder or 
younger, is not certainl}- known, though the 
generality of the ancients intimate, that he \vas 
the younger. But howe^•er that be, he was 
brought up to his father's trade, at which he 
laboured till our blessed Saviour called him to 
be a fisher of men, for which he was, by some 
preparatory institutions, qualified, even before 

If .the appearance of tlie Messiah, in his pubhc 
. character. 

' \^'e are told by the evangelist; Jolm the Bap- 
tist had lately preached the doctrine of repent- 
-ance ; and was, by the generality of tlie Jews, 
■from'the impartiality of his precepts, and the 
remarkable strictness and austerity of his life, 
Ikdd in great veneration. He traiiied up his 



proseU-tes under the discipline of repentance, 
and, by urging on them a severe change, and 
ref(3rmation of life, prepared them to entertain 
th^" doctrine of the Messiah, whose approach, 
he told them, was now near at hand ; repre- 
senting to them the greatness of his person, and 
the importance of tiie design for which he came 
into the M'orld. 

Besides the multitudes that flocked to the 
Baptist's discourses, he, according to the cus- 
tom of tlie Jewish masters, had some peculiar 
and select disciples, who more constantly at- 
tended on his lectures, and generally ^vaited up- 
on his person. In the number of these follow- 
ers, M as our apostle ; m ho was with him be- 
\"ond Jordan, when the ^Messiah, n ho had some 
time before been baptized, came that way.... 
Upon his approach, tlie Baptist pointed him 
out as the Messiah, st}-ling him the Lamb of 
God, the true siicrifice, tliat was to expiate the 
sins of the world. 

As soon as the Baptist had given this char- 
acter of Jesus, Andrew, and another disciple, 
probably St. John, followed the Sa\-iour of 
mankind to the place of his abode, from whence, 
after some conversation with him, Andrev,- de- 
parted, and having found his brother Simon, 
informed him that he had discovered die gi-eat 
Messiali, so long expected by die house of 
Jacob : and accordingly, brought him to J e s c s . 
They did not, ho^\"e\'er, stay long with their 
Master, but returned to their occupation. 

Upwards of a year afterwards, Jesus, pass- 
ing through Galilee, found Andi^ew and Peter 
fishing on the sea of Galilee, where he fully 
satisfied them of the ^eatness and divinity of 
his person, by a miraculous draught of fishes, 
which they took at his command. He now 
told them, that they should enter on a diflerent 
series of labours, and, ins.ead of fish, they 
should, by the efficacy and influence of tlieir 
-loctrine, catch men ; commanding them to 
ioliow him, as his immediate disciples and at- . 



S40 



LIfE OF JESUS CH11I3T 



tendants ; and they accordingly left all and fol- 
lowed him immediately. 

Andrew, together with tlis rest, m as shortly 
after called to the office and honour of the apos- 
tolate, and made choice of to be one of Christ's 
immediate vicegerents forjilanting and propa- 
gating the Christian church. 

We learn fi-om the sacred historian, that af- 
ter the ascension of the blessed Jesus into heav- 
en, and the Holy Ghost had descended in a visi- 
ble manner on the apostles, St. Andrew was 
chosen to preach the gospel in Scythia, and the 
countries adjacent. He accordingly departed 
from Jerusalem, and first travelled through 
Cappadocia, Galatia, and Bithynia, instructing 
the inhabitants in the faith of Christ, and con- 
tinued his journey along the Euxine sea into 
the solitudes of Scythia. 

St. Andrew afterwards arrived at Sinope, a 
city situated on the same sea, and famous both 
for the birth and burial of kina: Mithridates : 
here he met with his brother Peter, and staid 
with him a considerable time at this place. 
The inhabitants of Sinope were mostly Jews, 
who, partly from a zeal for their religion, and 
partly from their barbarous manners, were ex- 
asperated against St. Andrew, and entered into 
a confederacy to burn the house in which he 
lodged : but being disappointed in their design, 
they treated him with the most savage cruelty, 
throwing him on the ground, stamping upon 
him with their feet, pulling and dragging him 
from place to place ; some beating him with 
clubs, som.e pelting him with stones, and others, 
to satisfy their brutal revenge, biting olFhis flesh 
nvith their teeth ; till apprehending they had en- 
tirely deprived him of life, they cast him out in- 
to the fields : but he miraculously recovered, 
and returned publicly into the city ; by which, 
and other miracles tie wrought amongst them, 
he converted many from the error of their ways, 
and induced them to become disciples of the 
Son of God. 

After departing from Sinope, he returned to 
Amynsus, passed from thence through Trape- 
zius, and Neocsesarea to Samosata, where he 
silenced the acutest and wisest philosophers of 
that coiintry : and, having spent some time there 
in preaching the glad tidings of the gospel, he 
returned to Jerusalem : but he did not continue 
long in jtiis native countr}^, returning again to 



the province allotted him for the exercise of his 
ministry, travelling first into the country of the 
Abasgi, and had great success in preaching the 
gospel to the inhabitants of the city of Sebasto- 
ple, situated on the eastern shore of the Euxine 
sea, between the rivers Pkasias and Apsarus : 
from thence he removed into the country of the 
Zecchi, and the Bosphorani ; but finding the 
people remarkably barbarous and intractable, 
he did not stay long amongst them, except at 
Cherson, a large and populous city within the 
Bosphorus, where he had great success in his- 
ministry ; and therefore continued some time 
with the new converts, to instruct and confirm 
them in the faith. From this city he passed by 
sea to Sinope, the royal seat of Mithridates, to 
encourage and confirm the churches he had 
planted in those parts ; and here he ordained 
Philologos, formerly one of St. Paul's disciples, 
bishop thereof. 

St. Andrew, after leaving Sinope, came ta 
Byzantium, since called Constantinople, where 
he instructed the inhabitants in the Christian 
religion, founded a church for divine worship, 
and ordained Stachys, fn-st bishop of that place i 
but being banished from the city, he fled to Ar- 
gyropolis, Avhere he preached the gospel for two 
years together with remarkable success, con- 
verting great numbers to the Christian faith.... 
He next travelled over Thrace, Macedonia, 
Thessaly, Achaia, and Epirus, preaching the 
gospel, propagating Christianity, and confirm- 
ing the doctrine he taught with signs and mira- 
cles. At last he came to Petrsea, a city of 
Achia, where he gave his last and greatest te^ 
timony to the gospel of his Divine Master ; we 
mean, he sealed it with his blood, and receiv- 
ed the crown of martyrdom by the following 
means. 

iEgeas, who was proconsul of Achaia, came 
at this time to Petrasa, where, observing that 
multitudes had abandoned the heathen religion, 
and embraced Christianity, he had recourse to 
every method both of favour and cruelty, to re- 
duce the people to their old idolatry. The apos- 
tle, whom no difficulties or dangers could de- 
ter from performing the duties of his ministry, 
addressed himself to the proconsul, and calmly 
put him in mind, that being only a judge of 
men, he ought to revere him who was the su- 
preme and impartial Judge of all, pajf. him the 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



341 



divine honours due to his exalted Majesty, and 
abandoned the impieties of his idolatrous wor- 
ship. The proconsul, instead of assenting to 
these arguments of the apostle, ridiculed him 
as an innovator in religion, and a propagator of 
that superstition, whose author the Jews had 
put to the infamous death of the cross. On his 
mentioning the cross, our aposde took the op- 
portunity of representing to him the infinite love 
and kindness of our great Redeemer, who came 
down from heaven to purchase the salvation of 
mankind ; and to obtain it, did not disdain to 
die upon the cross. The proconsul answered, 
that he might hope to persuade the credulous 
multitude of the ti-uth of w hat he said ; but for 
his pait, he would not listen to such a legen- 
dary tale : and if he did not comply w ith him, 
in doing sacrifice to the gods, he would cause 
him to suffer upon that cross he had so highly 
magnified. St. Andrew replied, that he sac- 
rificed ever)' day to God, the only true and 
omnipotent Being, not with fumes and blr)ody 
offerings, but in the sacrifice of the immaculate 
Lamb of God. This answer proA oked the pro- 
consul, and he committed the apostle to prison ; 
which so exasperated the people, that a mutiny 
would have ensued, had not St. Andrew re- 
strained them, persuading them to imitate the 
mildness and patience of the meek and humble 
Jesus, and not hinder him from receiving the 
crown of xiiartyrdom, which he was now going 
to receive. 

He was brought again the next day before 
the proconsul, who persuaded him not foolishly 
to throw away his life, but preserve it, and en- 
joy the pleasures of the world. The apostle 
told him, tliat if he woidd renounce his idola- 
tries, and heartily embrace the Clu'istian faith, 
he should, with him and the members who had 
believed in the Son of God, receive eternal hap- 
piness in the Messiah's kingdom. The pro- 
consul answered, that he himself should never 
embrace the religion he mentioned ; and that 
the only reason why he was so earnest with him 
to sacrifice to the gods was, that those whom 
he had every where seduced, might, by his ex 
ample, be brought back to the ancient religion 
they had forsaken. To which the apostle re- 
plied, that he saw it was in vain to endeavour to 
persuade a person incapable of sober counsels, 
and hai-dened in his own blindness and lolly ; 
-No. 1^- 4 



that w ith regard to himself, he might act as he 
pleased, and if he had any torment greater than 
another, he might heap that upon him ; as the 
greater constancy he shewed in his sufferings for 
Christ, the more acceptable he should be to 
his Lord and Master. i'Egeas, upon tl)is, im- 
mediately passed sentence of death upon him, 
not being able to restrain his rage any longer. 

The proconsul first ordered St. Andrew to 
be scourged, seven lictors successively \\ hip- 
ping his naked body ; and, seeing his invinci- 
ble patience and constancy , commanded him to 
be crucified ; but to be fiistcned to the cross 
with cords instead of nails, that his death might 
be more lingering and tedious. As he was led 
to the place of execution, v/alking w ith a cheer- 
ful and composed mind, the people cried out, 
that a good and innocent man was unjustly con- 
demned to die. On his coming near the cross 
he saluted it in the folloA^ing manner : "I have 
long desired and expected tJ^k happy hour. . . . 
The cross has been consecrated by tlie body of 
Christ hanging on it, and adorned with his 
members as \nth so many inestimable jew els : 
I therefore come joyfully and triumphing to it, 
that it may receive me as a disciple and fo]lo^^'- 
er of him who once hung upon it, and be the 
means of carrying me safe to my Master, being 
the instrument on which he redeemed me and 
all his people from everlasting misery." 

Having offered up his pra3-ers to the throne 
of grace, and exhorted the people to constancy 
and perseverance in the religion he had deli\ er- 
ed to them, he was fastened to the cross, on 
wliich he hung two w hole days, teaching and 
instructing the people. In the mean time, great 
interest was made to the proconsul to spiu'e his 
life ; but the apostle earnestly begged of the 
Almighty, that he might now doi)art, and seal 
the ti'uth of his religion M ith his blood. His 
prayers were heard, and he immediately expir- 
ed on the last day of November, but in what 
year is not recorded by historians. 

The cross on which he suffered, appears to 
have had someUiing peculiar in the form of it, 
and is commonly thought to have been a cross 
decussate, or two pieces of timber crossing 
each other in the centre, in the form of the 
letter X, hence usuallj' kno\\"n by the name of 
St. Andrew's cross : diough some ailirm that 

O 



342 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



he suffered death on an olive tree, and not on a 
cross. 

After his body was taken from the cross, it 
was decently and honourably interred by Max- 
iniilla, a lady of great quality and estate, and who, 
Nicephorus tells us, was wife to the proconsul. 
Constantine the Great afterwards renioved his 
body to Constantinople, and buried it in the 
great church he had built to the honour of the 
apostles : but this structure being taken down 
some hundred of years after, in order to rebuild 
it by Justinian the emperor, the body of St. 
Andrew was foimd in a wooden coffin, and 
again deposited in the place where it was at first 
interred. 

We have the following encomiastic character 
. of St. Andrew, from Hesychius, presbyter of 
Jerusalem, with which we shall conclude this 
account of his life. " St. Andrew was the first 
born of the apostolic choir, the principal and 
first pillar of the church, a rock before the rock, 
the foundation of that foundation, the first fruits 



of the beginning, a caller before he was called 
himself ; he preached that gospel which was 
not yet revealed or entertained ; he revealed and 
made known that life to his bl'other, which he 
had not yet perfectly learned himself : so great 
treasures did that one question bring him, Mas- 
ter, where dwellest thou ? v. hich he soon per- 
ceived by the answer, Come and see. How art 
thou become a prophet ? whence thus divinely 
skilful ? what is it that thou soundest in Peter's 
ears, TV ? have found him of xuhovi Moses and 
the prophets did write, &c. Why dost thou at- 
tempt to compass him whom thou canst not 
comprehend ? how can he be found who is om- 
nipresent ? But he well knew what he said, vre 
have found him whom Adam lost, M^hom Eve 
injured, whom the clouds of sin have hidden 
from us, and to whom our transgressions had 
hitherto rendered us strangers. Thus had St. 
Andrew the honour of being the first apostle 
that preached the gospel of the Son of God ; as 
appears by his declaration recited above.'* 



AN ACCOUNT OF ST. BARTHOLOMEW, THE APOSTLE. 



WE learn from the evangelical history of 
the election of the apostles, that St. 
Bartholomew v^as one of the twelve : but be- 
cause he is but just named, without any fur- 
ther notice taken of him, the generality of wri- 
ters, ancient and modern, suppose that he lay 
concealed under the name of Nathanael, one of 
the first disciples that came to Christ. Ac- 
cordingly, we may observe, that St. John 
never mentions Bardiolomew in the number of 
the apostles, so the other evangelists take no 
notice of Nathaniel, probably as being the same 
person under two different names : and as in 
St. John, Philip and Nathanael ai-e joined to- 
gether in their coming to Christ ; so in the 
rest of the evangelists, Philip and Bartholomew 
are constantly put together ; certainly for no 
other reason, than because they were jointly 
c-olled to the discipleship : but what renders 



this opinion still more probable, is, that Nathan- 
ael is particularly mentioned amongst the other 
apostles, to whom our Lord appeared at the sea 
of Tiberias after his resurrection. 

It is not reasonable to suppose tiiat Bartho- 
lomew was the proper name of this apostle, any 
more than Bar-jonah was the proper name of 
Peter ; but given to denote his relative capa- 
city, either as a son or a scholar. If it refers to 
his father, he was the son of Thalmai, a name 
not uncommon amongst the Jews : if to his sect 
as a scholar, he was of the school of the Thal- 
masans, so called from their founder Thalmaei, 
scholar to Heber, the ancient master of the He- 
brews. Now it was usual for scholars, out of 
a great reverence to their master, or first insti- 
tutor of the order, to adopt his name as Ben- 
ezra, Ben-uziel, and the like : but which ever 
of these conjectures appears most satisfactory 



AND LIVES OF 

to the reader, either will be sufficient for my 
purpose, namely, to reconcile the difference 
there seems to be between St. John and the 
other evangelists about the name of" this apos- 
tle, the one calling him by his proper name, 
and the other by his relative or paternal appel- 
lation. 

St. Augustine indeed seemed to object, that 
it is not probable that our blessed Saviour, who 
proposed to confound the wisdom of this world 
by the preaching of illiterate men, would choose 
Nathanael, a doctor of the law, to be one of his 
apostles : but this objection will appear to be 
built on a sandy foundation, if we consider, that 
the same argument is as strong against Philip, 
of whose knowledge in the law and the pro- 
phets, there is as strong evidence in the histo- 
ry of the gospel as for that of Nathanael ; and 
may be urged with still greater force against St. 
Paul, whose abilities in human learaing were 
remarkably great, and few were more complete 
masters of the Jewish law, than that great apos- 
tle. 

This difnculty being removed, we shall pro- 
ceed to tlie history of this apostle, and consider 
the names oi NaEhanael and Bartholomew as be- 
longing to one and the same, and not to two 
persons. 

- As to his descent and family, some are of 
opinion that he was a Syrian, and that he was 
descended from the Ptolemies of Egypt ; prob- 
ably for no other reason than the mere analogy 
and sound.of the name : but it is plain from the 
evangelical history, that he was a Galilean, St. 
John having expressly told us, that Nathanael 
was of Cana in tiiat part of Judea. His trade 
and manner of life are not mentioned in Scrip- 
ture, though, from some circumstances, there 
is room to imagine that he was a fisherman : 
but however tliat be, he was at his first com- 
ing to Christ, conducted by Philip, who told 
him they had now found the long-expected 
Messiah, so often foretold by Moses and the 
prophets, J^esus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. 
And when he objected that the Messiah could 
not be born in Nazareth, Philip desired him to 
come and satisfy himself of the truth. 

Our blessed Saviour, on his approach, en- 
tertained him with this honourable chai'acter, 
that he was an Israelite indeed, a man of true 
simplicity and dignity : and indeed liis simpU- 



HIS APOSTLES. 343 

city particularly appears in this, that when he 
was told of Jesus, he did not object against the 
meanness of his original, the low condition of 
his parents, or the narrowness of their fortunes, 
but only against the place of his birth, Avhich, 
as he justly observed, could not be Nazareth, 
the Scriptures peremptorily foretelling, that the 
Messiah should be boni at Bethlehem. 

This apostle was greatly surprised at our 
Lord's salutation, wondering how he could 
know him at first sight, being certain he had ne- 
ver before seen his face : but he was answered, 
that he had seen him while he wzs yet under the 
fig tree, even before Philip cidled him. Con- 
vinced by this instance of our Lord's divinity, 
he presently made this confession, that he was 
now sure that Jesus was the promised Mes- 
siah, the Son of God, whom he had appointed to 
govern his church. Our blessed Saviour told 
him, that if, from this instance, he could be- 
lieve him to be the Messiah, he should have far 
greater arguments to confirm his faith ; for 
that he should hereafter behold the heavens 
opened to receive him, and the angels v isibly 
appearuig to attend his triumphant entrance into 
the heaven of heavens. 

Aft'='r the visible descent of the Holy Ghost 
on the apostles, St. Bartholomew visited dif- 
ferent parts of the world, to preach the gospel, 
and penetrated as far as the hither India. Hav- 
ing spent a considerable time there, and in the 
eastern extremities of Asia, he returned to the 
northern and western parts : and we find him 
at Hierapolis in Phrygia, labouring in concert 
with St. Philip, to plant Christianity in those 
parts, and to convince the blind idolaters, of 
the evil of their ways, and direct them in the 
patlis that lead to the regions of felicity. This 
enraged the bigotted magistrates, and he was, 
togetlaer with St. Philip, designed for Martyr- 
dom ; and in order to this, fiistencd to a cross ; 
but a sudden trembling iind motion of the earth, 
convinced the idolators tliat the justice of Om- 
nipotence w ould re\ enge tlicir deaths ; so tliat 
they took him immediately down from tlic 
cross, and dismissed him. 

St. Bartholomew passed from hence into 
Lycaonia; and St. Chrysostom assures us, that 
he instructed and trairicd up the inhabitants in 
the christian discipline. His last remove was, 
to Adi ianople, in Great iVrnienia, a place mis- 



344 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



crably overrun with idolatry, from which he 
laboured to reclaim the people : but his endea- 
vours to turn them from darkness unto light, 
and from the poxver of Sataji unto God, were so 
far from having the desired effect, that it pro- 
voked the magistrates, who prevailed on the 
governor to put him to death, which he cheer- 
fully underwent, sealing with his blood, the 
truth of die doctrine he had preached. 



We are told by some of the ancients, that he 
was crucified with his head do^rawai'ds ; and 
by others, that he was flayed alive. Perhaps 
he suffered both ; for Plutarch records a paiti- 
cular instance of Mesobates, the Persian eunich, 
who was first flayed alive, and then crucified ; 
and the inhabitants of Adrianople, might easily 
borrow this barbarous and inhuman cruelty 
from the Persians, who were remarkably se- 
vere in their punishments. 



AN ACCOUNT OF ST. BARNABAS, THE APOSTLE. 



THIS apostle was at first called Joses, a 
softer termination generally given by the 
Greeks to Joseph ; his fellow-disciples added 
the name of Barnabas, as significant of some 
extraordinary property in him. St. Luke in- 
terprets it, the son of consolation, which he was 
' CA^er ready to administer to the afilicted, both 
by word and action ; as his comfortable dis- 
courses, his selling his own estate, and collect- 
ing the benevolence of others, for the relief of 
the poor indigent Christians, abundantly testify. 
St. Jerom observes, that his name also denotes 
the son of a prophet ; and in this respect like- 
wise, it was well suited to our apostle, as being 
eminent for his endovsments and prophetic 
gifts. 

St. Barnabas was a descendant of the tribe 
of Levi, of a family removed out of Judea, and 
settled in the isle of Cyprus, where they had 
purchased an estate, as the Levites might do 
out of their country. His parents finding 
their son of a promising genius and disposition, 
placed him in one of the schools of Jerusalem, 
under the tuition of Gamaliel, St. Paul's mas- 
ter f a circumstance which, in all probability, 
laid the first foundation for that intimacy which 
afterwards subs'sted bet\^^een these two eminent 
servants of Jesus Christ. 

St. Barnabas is first mentioned in the Holy 
Scripture, in the record of that great and wor- 
thy service he did the church of Christ, by 
succouring it with tlie sale of his patrimony in 



Cyprus, the w hole price of which he laid at the 
apostles' feet, to be put into the common stock, 
and disposed of as they should think fit, amongst 
the indigent followers of the holy Jesus. This 
worthy example was followed by those who 
were blessed Avith the goods of fortune ; none 
kept their plenty to themselves, but turned their 
houses and lands into money, and devoted it 
to the common use of the church. St. Barna- 
bas is indeed mentioned as selling the most va» 
luable estate on tliis occasion ; or being the 
most forward and ready to begin a common 
stock, and set others a laudable pattern of char- 
ity and benevolence to the brethren. 

Our apostle now became considerable in the 
ministry and govenment of the church ; for we 
find that St. Paul coming to Jerusalem three 
years after his conversion, and not readily pro- 
curing admittance into the church, because he 
had been so grievous a persecutor of it, and 
might still be suspected of a design to betray 
it, he addressed himself to Barnabas, as a lead- 
ing man amongst the Christians, and one that 
had personal knowledge of him. He accord- 
ingly introduced him to Peter and James, and 
satisfied them of the sincerity of his conver- 
sion, and in Avhat a miraculous manner it was 
brought about. 

The agreeable news was brought to Jerusa- 
lem, about four or five years afterwards, that 
L,everal of their body, who had been driven out 
of Judea by tiie persecutions raised about St. 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



345 



Stq^hen, had preached at Antioch, widi such 
success, that a great number, both of Jews and 
proselytes, embraced Christianity, and were 
desirous that some of the superior order would 
come down and confirm them. This request 
was immediately granted ; and Barnabas was 
deputed to settle diis new plantation. Upon 
his arrival, he rejoiced extremely, to see what 
progress the gospel had made amongst them ; 
and earnestly exhorted them to continue im- 
movable in their profession of Christ Jesus. 
And being himself a good man, and full of the 
Holy Ghost, and of faith, his chai-itabie deeds, 
accompanying his discourses, and his pious 
life exemplifving his sound doctrine, the peo- 
ple were greatly influenced by him, and vevy 
large additions were made to the Christian 
church : but there being too large a field for 
one labourer, he went to fetch Paul from Tar- 
sus, who came back wixh him to Antioch, and 
assisted him a whole year in establishing that 
church. Their labours prospered, their as- 
semblies were crowded, and the disciples, who 
before this, w ere called amongst themselves 
brethren, believers, elect, and by their enemies, 
-Xazarenes, and Galileans, were now called 
Christians first in this cit\-. 

\\liile these aposdes preached in Antioch, 
Agabus, a prophet, gave the church notice, ! 
tliat there would shoitly be a great famine 
diroughout the world, or more properly, 
throughout the Roman empire ; especially in 
Judea. On heai'ing this prophecy, the Chris- 
tians of Antioch, considermg the number and 
necessities of their brethren at Jerusalem, ?did 
how generously the rich amongst them had ex- i 
hausted their estates in maintaining the poor, j 
determined to send them assistance against the j 
ensuing scarcity-, which they raised b)' contri- 
butions, according to every man's abilities, and 
sent it to the heads of the church, at Jenisalem, 
by the hands of Barnabas and Paul. This fa- 
mine lay hea\T on Judea, during the four years 
government of Caspius Fadus, and Tiberius 
Alexander, who under the emperor Claudius, 
were presidents of that province. 

After the apostles had fulfilled their charita- 
ble embassy, and staid some time at Jerusalem, 
to see the good effect of it, they returned again 
to Antioch, bringing with them John, whose 
surname was Mai-k, die son of Mar}-, sister to 
No. 15. A. 



Barnabas ; and at \\ hose house die disciples 
found both security for their persons, and con- 
venience for the solemnities of their ^^■orship. 
But soon after the apostles return to Antioch, 
an express revelation was made to the church, 
by the mouth of one of the prophets, w ho mir.- 
istered there, that Barnabas and Paul should be 
set apart for an extraordinary w ork, unto which 
the Holy Ghost had appointed them. Upon 
this declaration the church set apart a day for a 
solemn mission, and after devout prayer and 
fasting, they laid their kmds upon them, and 
ordained them to their office ; w hich was, to 
travel over certain countries, and preach the 
gospel to the Gentiles : from this joint com- 
mission, Barnabas obtained the name of an 
} apostle, not only amongst later writers of the 
I church, but w ith St. Paul himself, and with 
St. Luke, in the history of the acts of the apos- 
tles, written by him. 

Being thus consecrated the apostles of the 
Gentiles, they entered upon their ministr}-, tak- 
ing with them John Mark, for their minister or 
deacon, who assisted them in many ecclesias- 
tical offices, particularly in taking care of the 
poor, and receiving contributions for them. 

After their departure from Antioch, the first 
city they visited was Selucia, a city of Syria, 
adjoining to the sea ; from whence they sailed 
for the island of C}tus, the native place of St. 
Barnabas, and arrived at Salamis, a port for- 
merly remarkable for its trade. Here they 
boldly preached the doctrines of the gospel, in 
the synagogue of the Jews ; and from thence, 
ti-a veiled to Paphos, the capital of the island. 
Here their preaching w as attended -with remark- 
able success ; Ser-vius Paulus, the proconsul, 
being, amongst others, con\'erted to the faidi of 
the gospel. 

Ha^ ing quitted Cyprus, they crossed the sea, 
to preach in Pamph}"lia, where their deacon 
John, to the gi-eat grief of his uncle Barnab-s, 
left them, and returned to Jerusalem. Tiie 
aposdes afterwards went to Perga, whci e they 
did not continue long, but tra\ elled seventy or 
eighty mUes northw ard, to Antioch, in Pisidia, 
so called, to distinguish it from Antioch in Sy ! ia, 
w here die aposdes received dieir ordinauon. 
Here they preached to the Jcav s in their syna- 
gogues ; but meeting with blasphemous oppo- 
sition, they told them plainly, that diey thouj^ht 



346 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



it reasonable to preach the gospel first to them ; 
but as they had so unthtinkfully rejected it, they 
"vvould now- make the same offers of salvation 
to the Gentiles, according to the commandment 
of God, by his prophets : but the exasperated 
Jews stirred up some of the principal citizens 
to persecute them, and force them to leave the 
city ; whereupon they departed from Antioch, 
and came to Iconium, the metropolis of Lyca- 
onia, AvHere they continued a considerable time, 
preaching in the synagogues with great suc- 
cess : but at last, the old spirit of Jewish rage 
and malice, prevailed against them, and obliged 
them, in order to avoid the madness of the 
multitude, to retire to Derbe, a city of Lyca- 
onia. 

They returned from Derbe to Lystra, Ico- 
nium, and Antioch, in Pisidia, confirming the 
souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to 
contmue in the Jaith; and that we must, through 
much tribulation, enter into the kingdom of God. 
After a short stay, they again visited the church- 
es of Pamphylia, Perga, and Attalia, where 
they took ship, and sailed to Antioch in Syria, 
the place from whence they first set out. Pre- 
sently after their arrival, they called the church 
of this city together, and gave them an account 
of their travels, and of tlie great success which 
had attended their preaching in the Gentile 
world. 

They had not long continued in this city, 
before their assistance was required to compose 
a difference in this church, occasioned by some 
of the Jewish converts, who endeavoured to 
persuade the Gentiles, that they were bound to 
observe the law of Moses, as well as that of 
Christ ; and be circumcised as well as bap- 
tized. Barnabas endeavoured to persuade the 
zealots, fi-om pressing such unnecessary obser- 
vations ; but all his endeavours proving inef- 
fectual, he was deputed with St. Paul and others, 
to go to the church at Jerusalem, to submit tlie 
question to be determined there, in a full as- 
sembly. 

During their stay at Jerusalem, Mark, in 
all probabiiit}% -reconciled himself to his uncle 
Barnabas, and returned with him and St. Paul 
to Antioch, after they had succeeded in tlieir 
business at Jerusalem, and obtained a decree 
from the synod there, that the Gentile converts 
should not have circumcision and other Mosaic 



rites imposed upon them, as they were now 
under the gospel dispensation. 

The minds of the Gentiles were greatly qui- 
eted and comforted by this determination ; ne- 
vertheless, it did not prevent the bigotted Jews 
from keeping up a separation from them ; and 
that Avith so much obstinacy, that when St. 
Peter, some time after, came to Antioch, he, 
for fear of offending them, contradicted his for- 
mer practice, and late speech and vote in the 
synod of Jerusalem, by refraining from all kind 
of communion with the Gentiles ; and Bar. 
nabas himself, though so great and good a man, 
was induced, by the authority of his example, 
to comm.it the same error ; though doubtless, 
on being reproved by St. Paul, they both took 
more courage, and walked according to that 
true liberty and freedom, which the gospel im- 
parts.- 

After this transaction, Paul made a proposal 
to Barnabas, that they should repeat their late 
travels amongst the Gentiles, and see how the 
churches they had planted, increased in their 
numbers, and improved in the doctrines they 
had taught them. Barnabas very readily com* 
plied with the proposal, but desired they might 
take with them his reconciled nephew, John 
Mark. This Paul absolutely refused, because 
in their former voyage, Mark had not shewn 
the constancy of a faithful minister of Christ, 
but consulted his own ease, at a dangerous junc- 
ture, departed from them without leave, at Pam- 
phylia, and returned to Jerusalem. Barnabas 
still insisted on taking him, and the other con- 
tinuing as resolute to oppose it, a short debate 
ai'ose, \\'hich terminated in a rupture ; whereby 
these two holy men, who had for several years 
been companions in the ministry, and with 
united endeavours propagated the gospel of 
the Son of God, now took different provinces. 
Barnabas, with his kinsman, sailed to his own 
country, Cyprus ; and Paul travelled to the 
churches of Syria, and Cilicia^ taking Silas 
with him. 

The sacred writers give us no account of St. 
Barnabas, after his separation from St. Paul ; 
nor are tlie ecclesiastical writers agreedamongst 
themselves with regard to the actions of our 
apostle, after his sailing for Cyprus : this how- 
ever 'seems to be certain, that he did not spend 
the whole remainder of his life in that island, 



AND LIVES OF 

but visited diiferent parts of the world, preach- 
ing the glad tidingt> of the gospel, healing the 
sick, and working other miracles amongst the 
Gentiles ; and after long and painful travels, 
attended with different degrees of success in 
different places, he returned to Cyprus, his na- 
tive country, where he suffered mart)^rdom in 
the follou ing manner : certain Jews coming 
from S}'ria to Salamis, M'here Barnabas was 
then preaching the gospel, were highly exas- 
perated at his extraordinary success, fell upon 
him^ as he was disputing in the synagogue, 
dragged him out, and after the most inhuman 
tortures, stoned him to death. His kinsman 
John Mark, who was a spectator of this barba- 
rous action, privately interred his body in a 
cave, where it remained till the time of the 
€mperor Zeno, in the year of Christ 485, 
when it was discovered l)'ing on his breast, ^vith 
St. Matthew's gospel in Hebrew, written with 
his own hand. 

An epistle in Greek is still extant, which 
bears this apostle's name : but the church has 
not received it into the canon of Scripture ; and, 
for that reason, both Eusebius and St. Jerom 
call it apocryphal, tlwugh they do not deny its 
being the work of St. Barnabas. Clemens 
Alexandrinus, andOrigen, often quote it as his, 
and Monardus, who first published the Greek 
with the old Latin version, sufficiently shews, 
that it is the same known to the ancients, be- 



HIS APOSTLES. "347 

cause all their quotations are found in it. The 
style of it resembles that of the apostolic age ; 
but it appears to been \vritten some time 
after the destruction of Jerusalem, a period which 
St. Barnabas may easily be supposed to survive : 
the beginning of it is w anting, and the inscrip- 
tion, if ever it had any ; but the matter of it 
evidently shows, that it was written to such 
Jews as are mentioned in the fifteenth chapter 
of the acts, who having embraced Christianity, 
still held, that the observance of the ceremonial 
law was necessary to salvation ; but this law 
St. Barnabas shews to be abolished by tlie gos- 
pel, and that the customs of it are of no conse- 
quence to the Christians. The latter part con- 
tains excellent precepts, deli\'ered under two 
different similitudes, the one of light, the other 
of darkness ; the former under the conduct of 
the angels of God, the latter under the influence 
of the angels of Satan. The w ay of light is a 
summary of what the Cliristian is to do, that 
he may attain eternal happiness ; and the way 
of darkness represents those particular sins and 
vices which exclude men from the kingdom of 
heaven. He closes the whole with pressing 
Christians to live in such a manner, v hile they 
sojourn in this vale of misery, that they may, 
after they quit it, enjov the pleasures of the heav- 
enly Canaan, and inherit the kingdom of glor}' 
for ever and ever. 



AN ACCOUNT OF ST. PHILIP, THE APOSTLE. 



ST. PHILIP was a native of Bethsaida, the 
city oi Andrew and Peter. He had the 
honour of being first called to be a disciple 
of the great iVIessiah, which happened in the fol- 
lowing manner. Our blessed Stiviour, soon 
after his retui n fi-om the wilderness, where he 
had been tempted b} the Devil, met w ith An- 
<ilrew and his brother Peter, and after some dis- 
course parted from them. The next day, as he 
was passing through Galilee, he found Philip, 
whom he presently commanded to follow him. 



the constant form he made use of in calling his 
disciples, and those that inseparably attended 
him : so that the prerogative of being first call- 
ed, evidently belongs to St. Philip, he being 
the first of our Lord's disciples : for though 
Andrew and St. John were the first that came 
and conversed with the Saviour of the world, 
yet diey immediately returr.ed to their occupa- 
tion, and were not called till a whole year after 
wards. 



348 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



Our apostle was not idle after the honour he 
had received of being called to attend the Sa- 
viour of the world ; he immediately imparted 
the glad tidings of the Messiah's appeai^ance to 
his brother Nathanael, and conducted him to 
Jesus : so ready is a good man to conduct 
others in the paths that lead to happiness and 
peace ! 

We have very little recorded of St. Philip 
by the evangelists, after his being called to the 
apostleship. It was, hovve%'er, to him that 
our Saviour proposed the question, where they 
should fiud bread sufficient to satisfy the hun- 
ger of so great a multitude ? To which Philip 
answered, that it was not easy to procure so 
large a quantity ; not considering, that it was 
equally easy for Almighty Power to feed dou- 
ble the number, when it pleased to exert itself. 
It was also to the same apostle, that the Gen- 
tile proselytes, who came up to worship at Je- 
rusalem, applied, when they were desirous to 
see the Saviour of the world : and it was with 
him our Lord had the discourse a little before 
the paschal supper, when he was about to suf- 
fer. 

While the holy and compassionate Jesus was 
fortifying the minds of his disciples with proper 
considerations against his departure from them, 
and had told them, that he was going to pre- 
pare for them a place in the mansions of the 
heavenly Canaan : that he was the Way, the 
Truth, and the Life ; that no ma?i could come 
to the Father but by htm ; and that knowing 
him, they both knexv and had seen the Father : 
Philip, not thoroughly understanding the force 
of his Master's reasonings, begged of him that 
he M ould she\^' them the Father. We can hard- 
ly suppose that Philip should have such gross 
conceptions of the Deity, as to imagine the Fa- 
ther invested with a corporeal and visible na- 
ture ; but Christ having told them that they 
had seen him, and knowing that of old God 
frequently appeared in a visible shape, he only 
desired that he would manifest himself to them 
by some such appearance. Our Lord gently 
reproved his ignorance, that after attending so 
long to his instructions, he should not know, 
that he was the image of his Father, the express 
characters of his infinite wisdom, power, and 
goodness, appearing in him ; that he said and 
did nothing but by his Father's appointment, 



which, if they did not believCj his miracles 
were a sufficient evidence ; that such demands 
were therefore unnecessary and impertinent ; and 
that it was an indication of great weakness in 
him, after three years education under his dis- 
cipline and institution, to appear so ignorant 
with regard to these particulars. 

We are told by the ancients, that in the dis- 
tribution made by the apostles of the several re- 
gions of the world, the Upper Asia fell to the 
share of St. Philip, where he applied himself 
with an indefatigable diligence and industry, 
to turn the children of men from the paths of 
wickedness which lead to destruction, to Avays 
that terminate in eternal felicity : and by the 
constancy and power of his preaching, and the 
efficacy of his miracles, he gained numerous 
converts, whom he baptized into the Christian 
faith, curing at once, their bodies of infirmi- 
ties and distempers, and their souls of error 
and idolatry. He continued with them a con- 
siderable time, in settling churches, and ap- 
pointing them spiritual guides and ministers. 

Having several years successfully exercised 
his apostolical office in all those parts, he came 
at last to Hierapolis in Pluygia, a ci^^y remark- 
ably rich and populous, but at the same time 
overrun with the most enormous idolatry : 
amongst the many vain and trifling deities, to 
whom they paid religious adoration, was a ser- 
pent or dragon, of an enormous magnitude, 
which they worshipped Avith the most solemn 
reverence and devotion. 

Being grieved to see the people so wretch- 
edly enslaved by error and superstition, St. 
Philip continually offered his addresses to heav- 
en, till by his prayers, and often calling upon 
the name of Christ, he procured the death, 
or at least, the vanishing of this famous and be- 
loved serpent. Having thus demolished their 
deity, he demonstrated to them, how ridicu- 
lous and unjust it was for them to pay divine 
honours to such odious creatures, shewed them 
that God alone was to be worshipped as the 
great Parent of all the world, who, in the be- 
ginning, made man after his glorious image, 
and when fallen from that innocent and happy 
state, sent his om n Son into the world to redeem 
him ; that, in order to perform this glorious 
w ork, he died on the cross, and rose again front 
the dead, and at the end of the world, will come 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



349 



again to raise all the sons of men from the cham- 
bers of the dust, and sentence them to ever- 
lasting rewards and punishments, according to 
their works. This discourse roused them 
from their lethargy ; so that great numbers 
were ashamed of their late idolatry, and embrac- 
ed the doctrines of the gospel, with earnestness 
and sincerity. 

The gi-eat enemy of mankind, being provok- 
ed at this success, had recourse to his old me- 
thods, cruelty and persecution. The magis- 
trates of the city seized the apostle, and having 
thrown him into prison, caused him to be se- 
verely scourged. When this preparatory cru- 
elty was over, he was led to execution, and be- 
ing bound, was hanged against a pillar ; or ac- 
cording to others, crucified : but Omnipotence 
did not behold this scene of cruelty, without 
testifying his anger ; for when this indefatiga- 
ble apostle was expiring, the earth began sud- 
denly to quake, and the ground whereon the 
people stood, to sink under them ; but, on their 
considering it as a mark of the divine ven- 
geance, and imploring pardon for their crime, 
it suddenly stopt, and returned to its former 



position. The apostle Ixing dead, his body 
was taken down by Si. Bartholomew, his fel- 
low-labourer in the gospel, and Mariamne, St. 
Philip's sister, the constant companion ol' his 
travels, and decently buried ; after which, they 
confirmed the people in the faith of Christ, 
and departed from those parts. 

The ancient writers unanimously agree, tliat 
he was a married man ; and Clemens, of Alex- 
andria, that he had daughters, whom he dis- 
posed of in marriage : but he, not carefully 
distinguishing between Philip the deacon, \. ho 
live d at Cesarea, with his three virgin daught- 
ers, as mentioned in the acts of the apostles, 
has caused some confusion amongst the anci- 
ent authors : nay, some have concluded, that they 
were one and the same person ; though the 
one was called to the apostleship by our Lord 
himself, and the other only a deacon chosen by 
the apostles at Jerusalem, after the descent of 
the Holy Ghost upon them. 

It does not appear that St. Philip left any 
writings behind him, being fully employed in 
ministeries, more immediately useful to the 
happiness of mankind, as an apostle. 



ST. SIMON, THE APOSTLE, Surnamed the Zealot. 



THIS apostle was, as some think, one of 
the four brothers of our Saviour, sons 
of Joseph, by his former marriage ; though the 
only proof of it is, that one of these was called 
Simon, too weak an argument to found any 
on, except a bare conjecture. In the catalogue 
of the apostles, he is styled, Simon the Canaaitite, 
whence some conjecture, he was born in Cana 
of Galilee, and others will have him to have 
been the bridegroom mentioned by St. John, 
at whose marriage our blessed Saviour turned 
the water into wine : but this word has no re- 
lation to his country, or the place of his nativ- 
ity, being derived from the Hebrew word knali, 
which signifies zeal, and denotes a warm and 
sprightly temper. What some of tlie evimge- 
No. 15. 4 



lists, therefore, call Canaanite, others, render- 
ing the Hebrew- b}' the Greek word, style Zea- 
lot : not from his great zeal, his ardent affec- 
tion to his Master, and a desire of advancing 
his religion in the world, but from his warm 
active temper, and zealous for\vardness in some 
particular sect of religion, before our Saviour 
called him to be a disciple. 

That we may understand this the better, it 
will be necessar}' to observe, that as diere were 
sevei"al sects and parties amongst the Je\\ s, so 
there ^^•as one, either a distinct sect, or at least 
a branch of the Phai isees, called, The Sect of 
> he Zealots : they were remarkable asseiters 
■J the honour of the law, and of the strictness 
and purity of religion, assuming a libert}- to 

Q 



350 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



themselves, of questioning notorious offenders, 
without staying for the ordinary formalities of 
law; nay, they did not scruple, when they 
thought it necessary, to inflict capital punish- 
ments upon them : thus, when a blasphemer 
cursed God, by the name of an idol, the Zealot 
who first met him, had the liberty of killing 
him, without carrying him before the Sanhe- 
drim . They considered themselves as the suc- 
cessors of Phineas, who, in defence of tlie ho- 
nour of God, inflicted death on Zimri, and Coz- 
bi : an act which was counted unto Kim for 
righteousness unto all generations for evermore; 
and God was so well pleased with it, that he 
made xvith him and his seed after him, the cov- 
enant of ayi everlasting priesthood, because he 
was zealous for his God, and made an atonement 
for Israel, 

Whatever St. Simon was before, we can 
have no reason to suspect, but that after his 
conversion he was very zealous for the honour 
of his Master, and considered all those who 
were enemies to Christ, as enemies to him- 
self, how near soever they might be to him in 
any natural relation : and as he vi^as very exact 
in all the practical duties of the Christian reli- 
gion, so he showed a very serious and pious 
indignation towards those who professed reli- 
gion and a faith in Christ, with their mouths, 
but dishonoured their sacred profession, by 
their irregular and vicious lives, as many of the 
first Christians really did, and became heretics 
and apostates. ' 



We are told by Theodoret, that St. Simon 
the Zealot, was of the tribe of Zebulun or 
Naphtali, and that by this particular, he was 
distinguished from St. Thomas, a relation of 
our blessed Saviour, and, after St. James, bi- 
shop of Jerusalem, who was of the tribe of Ju- 
dah : but there are stronger reasons to prove 
this difference, the authority of Eusebius, who 
never calls Simon bishop of Jerusalem, an 
apostle, but says expressly, that the apostolic 
age ended with his death, who died before Si- 
mon; bishop of Jerusalem. 

It appears, that St. Simon continued in com- 
munion with the rest of the apostles and disci- 
ples at Jerusalem ; and, at the feast of Pente- 
cost, received the same miraculous gift of the 
Holy Ghost : so that he was qualified with the 
rest of his brethren for the apostolic office, in 
propagating the gospel of the Son of God ; and 
we cannot doubt of his exercising his gifts with 
the same zeal and fidelity, though in what part 
of the world, is uncertain. Some say he went 
into Egypt, Cyrene, and Africa, preaching the 
gospel to the inhabitants of those remote and 
barbarous countries : and others add, that af- 
ter he had^just passed tlirough those burning- 
wastes, he took ship, and visited the frozen re- 
gions of the North, preaching the gospel to the 
inhabitants of the western parts, and even in 
Britain itself, where having converted great 
multitudes, and sustained the greatest hard- 
ships and persecutions, he was at length cruci- 
fied, and buried in some part of Great Britain, 
but the pailicular spot cannot be ascertained. 



ST. MATTHIAS, THE APOSTLE. 



ST. MATTHIAS not being an apostle of 
the first election, immediately called and 
chosen by the Son of God himself, it cannot be 
expected that any account of him can be found 
in the evangelical history. He was one of our 
Lord's disciples, probably one of the seventy, 
that had attended on him the whole time of his 
public ministry, and after his death was elected 



into the apostolate, to supply the place of Ju- 
das, who, after betraying his great Lord and 
Master, laid violent hands on himself. 

As the defection of Judas had made a vacan- 
cy in the apostolic college, the first thing the 
disciples did, after their return from Mount 
Olivet, when their great Master ascended to the 
throne of his glory, was, to fill up this vacancy 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



j with a proper person. Accordingly, Peter ac- 
quuiated them, tnat Judas, according to the 
I prophetical prediction, being fallen from his 
I ministry, it was necessary that another should 
' be substituted in his room, and at the same 
! time requisite, that the person elected should 
j have been a constant attendiint on the blessed 
I Jesus, that he might be the better qualified for 
beai'ing witness to his life, death, resurrection, 
ascension, and intercession. 

St. Peter having thus addressed the assem- 
bly, two persons were proposed, namely, Jo- 
seph, called Barsabas, and Matthias, both of 
whom were duly qualified for that important 
office. The method of election was by lots, a 
way common both amongst the Jews and Gen- 
j tiles for determining doubtful and difficult cases, 
ijH especially in choosing judges or magistrates ; 
and this course seems to have been taken by 
the apostles, because the Holy Ghost was not 
"yet given, by whose immediate dictates and in- 
spirations they were afterwards chiefly guided. 

That the business might proceed ^vith the 
greater alacrity and success, they first solemnly 
made tlieir addresses, to heaven, that the om- 
niscient Being, who governed the world, and 
perfectly understood the tempers and disposi- 
tions of men, would immediately guide and di- 
rect the choice, and shew them which of the 
two he would appoint to take that part of the 
apostolic charge, from which Judas was so late- 
ly fallen. The prayer being ended, the lots were 
draAvn, by which it appeared that Matthias was 
the person, and he was numbered amongst the 
twelve apostles accordingl}^ 

Soon after this election, the promised pow- 
ers of the Holy Ghost were conferred upon the 
apostles, to qualify them for that great and ar- 
duous employment upon which they were sent, 
the establishing the holy religion of the Son of 
God amongst the children of men, in various ' 
parts of the world. 



The first years of the ministry of St. Mat- 
thias, was spent in Judea, where he reaped a 
very considerable harvest of souls, and then 
travelled into difterent parts of the World, to 
publish the glad tidings of salvation, to people 
who had never yet heard of a Saviour ; but the 
particular parts he visited, are not certainly 
known. The Greeks suppose, that he travel- 
led eastward ; St. Jerom says, his principal re- 
sidence was near the influx oi the river Apsus 
into the haven of Hyscus, in Cappadocia : but 
the people were remarkably lough and uncivi- 
lized, so that it is no wonder that he at last fell 
a victim to their ferocity ; though this did not 
happen till after he had long indefatigably la- 
boured in the vineyard of his great Master, and 
brought over vast numbers to an acknowledg- 
ment and reception of the truth. 

We are not told by what kind of death this 
apostle left the regions of mortality, and sealed 
the truth of the gospel he had so assiduously 
preached with his blood. Dorotheus says, he 
finished his course at Sebastople, and was bu- 
ried there near the temple of the sun. An an- 
cient martyrologist reports him to have been 
seized by the Jews, and, as a blasphemer, to 
have been stoned, and then beheaded : but the 
Greek offices, supported herein by several an- 
cient breviaries, tell us, that he was crucified. 
His body is by some pretended to be now at 
Rome, where some relics of it are shewn witli 
great veneration ; while others contend, that it 
is at Triers in Germany. Bollandus is of opin- 
ion, that the body of Matthias, now at Rome, 
is that of Matthias, who was bishop of Jerusa- 
lem, in the yeai- 120, and whose history they 
have confounded w^ith that of the apostle St. 
Matthias ; but Popish legends and traditions 
are in no instance to be relied on. 



^52 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST , 



AN ACCOUNT OF THE VIRGIN MARY, 

MOTHER OF JESUS. 



WE are taught by the predictions of the 
prophets, that a virgin was to be the 
mother of the promised Messiah, and we are 
also assured by the unanimous concurrence of 
the evangeUsts , that this virgin's name was 
Mary, the daughter of Joachim and Anna, of 
the tribe of Judah, and married to Joseph of the 
same tribe. The Scripture indeed tells us no 
more of the blessed virgin's parents, than that 
she was of the family of David, and of the town 
of Bethlehem ; not so much as their names 
being mentioned, unless by Heli, in St. Luke's 
geneiilogy, we understand Joachim the virgin's 
father. All that is said concerning the birth of 
Mary and her parents, is to be found only in 
some apocryphal writings ; and which howe- 
ver ere very ancient. St. John says, that Mary 
the wife of Cleophas, who was the mother of 
those which the gospel styles our Lord's breth- 
ren, was the virgin's sister. Mary then was 
of the royal race of David : she was allied like- 
wise to the family of Aaron, since Elizabeth the 
tvife of Zacharias, and mother of John the Bap- 
tist, was the cousin of Mary. 

In conformity to the Greek church, the Lat- 
ins have for some centuries past, honoured St. 
Joachim as the father of St. Anne, the mother of 
the blessed virgin : and though God hath not 
been pleased to acquaint us with the particulars 
of her birth ; yet the Roman church, from a 
grateful sense of the infinite blessings convey- 
ed to us by the blessed Jesus, hath long cele- 
brated her conception on the eighth of Decem- 
ber in the West, and on the ninth in the East, 
and her nativity on the eighth of September.... 
An anniversary festival of her presentation in 
the temple, is kept likewise on the twcnty-first 
of November ; and it is commonly believed, 
that she was consecrated to God at three years 
of age : but not to build upon uncertainties, 
thus much we are assured by the testimony of 
an angel, that she was happy abo^'e all other 
Tvomeii in the divine favour ; that she was full 



of grace ; and that the Lord was in a peculiar' 
manner with her. 

Whether the holy virgin immediately after 
the annunciation, M^ent up to the passover at 
Jerusalem (as some have imagined, this being 
the season of the year for it) or not, \vt have no 
account from the evangelist St. Luke : but this 
he assures us, that a little while after she set out 
for Hebron, a city in the mountains of Judah, 
in order to visit her cousin Elizabeth, to con- 
gratulate her upon her pregnancy, which she had 
learned from the angel, at an age when such a 
blessing was not usually to be expected. 

No sooner had Mary entered the house, and 
began to speak, than, upon Elizabeth's hearing 
the voice of her cousin's salutation, her child, 
young John the Baptist, transported with su- 
pernatural emotions of joy, leaped in her womb ; 
whereupon she was filled with the Holy Ghost, 
and being by divine inspiration acquainted with 
the mystery of the incarnation, she re-saluted 
Mary, and cried out, Blessed art thou amongst 
women, and blessed is the fruit of thy ivomh. 
And whence is this to me, that the mother of my 
Lord should come to me ? For lo, as soon as the 
voice of thy salvation sounded in mine ears, the 
babe leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed 
is she that believed: for there shall be a perform- 
ance of those things which were told her from 
the Lord. Then Mary, filled with acknow- 
ledgments and supernatural light, praised God, 
saying. My soul doth magnify the Lord, and 
my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour, Sec. 

Mary having continued here about three 
months, till Elizabeth was delivered, as St. 
Ambrose thinks, that she might see him on 
whose account she principally made that visit, 
returned afterwards to her own house at Naza- 
reth, waiting for the time of her delivery : but 
when she was ready to be delivered, an edict 
was published by Cassar Augustus, in the year 
of the world 4<XX), the first ofCnEisT, and 
the third before the v ulgar aera : which decreed 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



355 



tliat all the subjects of the Roman empire 
should go to their respective cities and places ; 
there to have their nnmes registered according 
to their families. Thus Joseph and Mary, who 
were both of the lineage of David, repaired to 
their city of Bethlehem, the original and native 
place of theli- family : but while they were in 
this cit}^, the time being fulfilled in v. hieh Maiy 
was to be delivered, she brought forth her first- 
born son, ^vrapped him in swaddling clodies, 
and laid him in the manger of die stable, whith- 
er they had retired ; for they could find no place 
in the public inn, because of the great con- 
course of people that were then at Bethlehem 
on the same occasion ; or they were forced to 
withdraw into the stable of the inn, not being 
able to get a more convenient place for her to 
be delivered in. 

The angels made the birth of C h r ist known 
to the shepherds, who were at this time in the 
fields near Bethlehem, and who came in the 
night to see Mary and Joseph, and the child 
lying in the manger, in order to pay him their 
tribute of adoration. Mary took notice of all 
these things, and laid them up in her heart.... 
Some time after came the Magi, or wise men 
from the East, and brought to Jesus the mys- 
terious presents of gold, frankincense, and 
myrrh, having been directed thither by a star 
which led the way before them to the very house 
where the babe lay. After this, being warned 
by an angel that appeared to them in a dream, 
tliey returned into their own country by a way 
different from that by which they came, with- 
out giving Herod the intelligence he wanted ; 
which he pretended was, in order to come and 
M^orship the babe, though his real design was 
to cut him off, from a jealousy of his rivalling 
that artful monarch, in his sovereignty over the 
Jews. 

The time of Mary's purification being now 
come, that is, forty days after the birdi of Je- 
sus, she went to Jerusalem, to present her son, 
in the temple ; and there to offer the sacrifice 
appointed by the law, for the purification of 
women after childbirth. At that time there 
was at Jerusalem, an old man named Simeon, 
who was full of the Holy Ghost ; and had re- 
ceived a secret assurance, that he should not 
die till he had seen Christ the Lord : accord- 
ingly, he came iato the temple by the impulse 
No. 15. 4 



of the Spirit of God, and Uiking tlic child Je- 
sus in his arms, he blessed the Lord ; and then 
addressing himself to Mar)-, said This child h 
sent for the rising (/ndfa/lincf of viatuj in Israel; 
and for a sign which shall be spoken against : 
even so fiu- as diat thy own soul shall be pierc- 
ed as with a sword, that the secret thoughts in 
the hearts of many may be discoA crcd and bid 
open. 

When Joseph and Mary were preparing af- 
terwards to return to their own country of Na- 
zareth, the angel of the Lord appeared to Jo- 
seph in a dream, bidding him retire into Egypt 
with Mary and the child, because Herod had a 
design to destroy Jesus. Joseph obeyed the 
admonition, and continued in Egypt till after 
the death of Herod ; when both he and Mary 
returned to Nazareth, not daring to go to Beth- 
lehem, because it was in the jurisdiction of 
Archelaus, the son and successor of Herod the 
Great, who Mas a cruel prince. 

NoAv it being the constant practice of Joseph 
and Mary to go every year to Jerusalem, to the 
feast of the passover ; and when Jesus ^vas 
twelve years of age, they brought him with them 
to the capitiil. When the days of the festival 
were ended, diey set out on then- return home ; 
but the child Jesus continued at Jerusalem, 
without their perceiving it, and, thinking that 
he might be with some of the company, they 
went on a day's journey ; ^hen not finding 
him amongst their acquaintance, they returned 
to Jerusalem, seeking for him : three days af- 
ter, they found him in the temple, sitting amongst 
the doctors, hearing them, mid asking them 
questions. When they sa\\' him, they were 
filled with astonishment ; and Marj- said to 
him. My son, ^ hy hast thou ser\ ed us thus ? 
Behold thy father and myself, who ha\'e sought 
thee in great afiliction. Jesus answered them, 
Why did you seek me ? Did not you know 
that I must be employed about my Father's 
business ? Afterw^ards he returned \\ ith them 
to Nazareth, and lived in filial submission to 
them : but his mother laid up all these tilings 
in her heart. The gospel says nothing more 
of the virgin Mary, till the marriage at Cana of 
Galilee, where she was present with Jesus her 
son. 

The blessed Jesus, in the thirtieth year of 
die vidgar sera, resoh ed to manifest himself to 



R 



35-4 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



the \vorlcl, and, therefore, went to be baptized 
by St. John, from thence into the wilderness, 
and thence to the above mentioned wedding, 
to which he, with his mother and disciples, had 
been invited. At this entertainment, the pro- 
vision of wine beingsomewhat scanty (probably 
because the friends of tlie married couple were 
But mean) Christ's mother told her son, they 
had no wine, not doubting of his power to sup- 
ply them: to which Jesus answered in terms 
which had some appearance of a rebuke, TFo- 
man, what have I to do xvith thee ? Mine hour 
is not yet come. 

Six great stone pitchers being in the room, 
Jesus ordered them to be filled brim full of 
water ; and afterwards commanded the servants 
to fill out and carry it to the master of the feast, 
who, on tasting it, found it was excellent wine. 
This is the first miracle that Jesus wrought, at 
the beginning of his public ministry ; and from 
hence our Lord went to Capernaum, with his 
mother and brethren. 

It is true, we learn from the third chapter 
of St. Mark, that on a certain day in the year 
of Christ thirty-four, and vulgar zera thirty- 
one, that as Jesus Christ was teaching in a 
house at Capernaum, so great a crowd of peo- 
ple stood about him, that neither he nor his 
disciples had time to take any refreshment; 
H'hich caused a report to be spread abroad, that 
he had fainted away, or was fallen into a swoon : 
thus Grotius interprets the word e|eV>i. The 
virgin, and the brethren or relations of Jesus, 
came to see what had given occasion to this 
report ; and v, hen they could not get into the 
house, for the throngs of people, they caused 
a message to be conveyed, from one to anoth- 
er, till it was told Jesus, " That his mother 
and his brethren were at the door, and desired 
to speak with him. " Jesus being accordingly 
informed of their coming, and that they waited 
to speak with him, being at that instant engag- 
ed in the work of his ministry, preaching the 
word of God, he made this reply. Who is my 
mother^ and who are my brethren ? And look- 
ing upon those that were round about him, he 
said, these are my mother and brethren ; de- 
claring, That whosoever did the will of his heav- 
enly Father^ the same was his mother, and sis- 
ter, and brother. . This Avas what Christ had 
taught in another place, that we must prefer 
God to all human relations, and give the pre- 



ference to his service : but this saying could 
not reflect upon his mother, who was amongst 
the principal of those who did the will of his 
heavenly Father. 

Immediately upon Mary's approach, a wo- 
man of the company said, with a loud voice, 
directing her words to Jesus, Blessed isthewomb 
that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast 
sucked. To which he replied, Yea, rather 
blessed are they, that hear the word of God, and 
keep it. Not intimating hereby, that she who 
had the honour to bear him, did not deser\'e to- 
be called blessed, throughout all generations ; 
but that even her happiness consisted more in 
doing the will of Christ, than in giving him 
a human body, which was indeed not her own 
act, but effected by the power of God. 

We have no further account of the holy vir- 
gin from this time, till we find her in Jerusalem 
at the last passover our Saviour celebrated 
there ; which was in the thirty-sixth year of 
Christ, and thirty-third of the vulgar sera.... 
In this city she saw all that was transacted 
against him, followed him to Mount Calvary, 
and stayed at the foot of the cross during the 
passion of her blessed Son. We cannot doubt 
but her soul was at this time pierced through, 
as old Simeon had prophecied, Avith the most 
acute pains, for the death of such a Son. Yet 
her constancy was remarkable : for Avhen the 
apostles were all frightened away from their 
Master, she, with a courage undaunted, and 
worthy of the mother of Christ, continued 
even in the midst of the executioners, being 
prepared to die with her Son, who was now 
become her Saviour ; who being now ready to 
leave the world, and seeing his mother at the 
foot of the cross, and his beloved disciple St. 
John near her, he bequeathed her to him by 
his last will and testament, saying to his moth- 
er, JVoman, behold thy son ; and to the disciple, 
Behold thy mother. And from that hour the 
disciple took her home to his own house, and" 
provided for her. 

Some authors of the fifth; century think the 
virgin Mary died and was buried at Jerusalem, 
or rather in her sepulchre at Gethsemane, near 
that city, where, to this day, it is shewn in a 
magnificent church dedicated to her. 

The ancient fathers of the Eastern and Wes- 
tern churcheSj asserted her perpetual vii'guiity-, 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



355 



and St. Augustine tells us, that this is one of 
those points which we ought to receive as of 
apostolic ti-adition, since the Holy Scripture 
gives us no more account of it, than by only 
remarking how fully the blessed virgin was re- 



solved to serve God with an entire purity. The 
title which had been constantly appropriated to 
her in all ages, as often as she is mentioned, is a 
good argument to confirm our belief concern- 
ing this : See Ezek. xliv. 2. 



MARY MAGDALENE. 



THIS remarkable convert was a native ei- 
ther of Magdala, a town in Galilee, on 
the other side Jordan, or Magdalos, a town si- 
tuated at the foot of Mount Carmel, and had 
her surname from the place of her birth. Some 
affinn, that she was the sinner mentioned by 
St. Luke, ch. vii. 37, Sec but this opinion is 
built only on conjecture. Botli St. Matthew 
and St. Mark tell us, that Jesus had cast out 
of her seven devils ; which some undestand in 
a literal, and others in a figurative sense. 

Mary became, however, a constant attendant 
©n the blessed Jesus, after he had removed her 



plague. She followed him to Mount Calvary, 
continued amidst the Roman Guards, at the 
foot of the cross, with the holy virgin, and saw 
his precious body laid in the tomb ; after which, 
she returned to Jerusalem, in order, after the 
sabbath, to embalm her Lord. 

She also carried the welcome tidings to Pe- 
ter and John, and our blessed Lord himself 
appeared to her first after his resurrection.... 
The apostles, however, did not believe her re- 
port, till it was confirmed by others, and they 
themselves had seen their Saviour. After this 
event, she is not mentioned in sacred writ. 



MARY, the Sister of Lazarus. 



MARY, the sister of Lazarus, with her 
sister ISlartha, li\'ed w ith their brother at 
Bethany, a village near Jerusalem. Our detir 
Redeemer had a particular affection for this fa- 
mily, and often retired to tlieir house, ^ ith his 
disciples. One day, (and perhaps the first time 
that Jesus went thither) Martha receiv ed him 
with remai'kable affection, and took abundance 
I of pains in providing a proper entertainment 
for him ; but Mary, her sister, continuing sit- 
ting at her Sa'\'iour^s feet, listening to his Vv ords 
with peculiar attention. This Martha consi- 
dered as an instance of disrespect, and there- 
fore said to Jesus, Lord, dost thou not care tliat 
my sister hath left me to serve alone ? Bid her 
therefore, that she help me. But our Lord jus- 
tified Mary, by telling her sister, that she had 
chosen the better part, \\ hich she should never 
be deprived of. 

Lazarus, their brother, some time after this 
fell sick, and his sisters sent to acquaint Jesus 
of the misfortune ; but he did not ai-rive at 
Bethany, till after Lazarus was dead, Martlia 



hearing Jesus was come into the neighbour- 
hood, \\ ent to him, and told him, that if he had 
not been absent, her brother had been still 
alive. Jesus promised her, that her brother 
should rise again : to A^ hich Martha ans^^"er- 
ed, / knoxv that he shall ?-ise again at the last 
day. Jesus replied, I am the resurrection and 
the lifr ; he that believeth in me, though he were 
dead, yet shall he live ; and whosoever liveth and 
believeth in me, shall never die ; helievest thou 
tins'? Martha answered, Yea, Lord: I belivc 
that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which 
should come irito the world. Having said this, 
she departed, and gave her sister notice pri\'ate- 
ly, that Jesus was come. Mary, as soon as 
she heard the v. elcome tidings, arose mid went 
to Jesus ; and as Martha had done before her, 
said. Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother 
had not died. The blessed Jesus was greatly 
moved at the pathetic complaints of these iwo 
worthy sisters, and on asking Avhere they had 
buried him, they conducted him to the sepuU 
clii'e, Oa his arri's iil at tlie place \\ hcre the. 



356 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



body of Lazarus was deposited, the great Re- 
deemer of mankind groaned deeply in his spir- 
it ; he wept, he prayed to his Father, and then 
cried with a loud voice, Lazarus^ come forth. 
The dead obeyed the voice of the Son of God ; 
Lazarus immediately revived, and Jesus res- 
tored him to his sisters. 

During the supper at Bethany, Mary, to ex- 
press her gratitude to Jesus, took a pound of 
spikenard, a very precious perfume, and pour- 



ed it on the head and feet of Jesus, wiping his 
feet with the hair of her head ; and the whole 
house was filled with the odour of the ointment, 
Judas Iscariot was highly offended at this gen- 
erous action ; but his Master vindicated Mary, 
and told him, that by this she had performed 
an act preparatory to his embalment, signify- 
ing, diat his death and burial were not far off. 
This is the last account oi her in Scripture . 



MARY OF CLEOPHAS. 



ST. JEROM says, that Mary had the name 
of Cleophas, on account of her father, her 
family, or some other reason not known . Oth- 
ers believe, with greater probability, that she 
was wife of Cleophas, and mother of St. James 
the Less. However, she was present at the last 
passover, just before the death of our Saviour ; 
she followed him to Mount Calvary ; and, 
during his passion, she was, together with the 
virgin, at the foot^^iiis cross : she was also 



present at his burial, and on the Friday before, 
had prepared the perfumes for embalming him. 

The year when Mary the wife of Cleophas 
died, is not known ; but the Greeks keep the 
eighth of April in memory of the holy women, 
who brought perfumes to embalm the body of 
Christ, and pretend to have their bodies at 
Constantinople in a church of the holy virgin, 
built by Justin II. 



MARY SALOME, 

THIS holy woman was the daughter of 
Maiy of Cleophas, mentioned in the pre- 
ceding article, and the sister of St. James the 
Less, and others, who are in Script?ure called 
the brethren of our Lord : she was cousin ger- 
man to the blessed Je sus, according to the flesh, 
and niece to the blessed virgin Mary. Her pro- 
per name was Salome, and was improperly 
called Mary, which was the name of her moth- 
er ; she was the wife of Zebedee, and mother 
of St. Jarries the Great, and St. John the evan- 
gelist : she was also one of tliose pious women 



an Hebrew Convert, 

that used to attend upon our blessed Saviour in 
lus journeys, and to minister to him. It Was 
she that requested Jesus to place her two sons, 
James and John, the one on his right hand and 
the other on his left, in his kingdom. 

Salome followed our Saviour to Calvary, and 
did not forsake him even at the cross : she was 
also one of his holy women who brought per- 
fumes to embalm him, and for that purpose, 
came early on the Sunday morning, to the se- 
pulchre. 



TROPHIMUS, 

TROPHIMUS was a disciple of St. Paul, 
a Gentile by religion, and an Ephesian 
by birth. After St. Paul had converted him, 
he constantly adhered to him, nor did he quit 
him ever after. He came with the apostle from 
Ephesus to Corinth, and kept him company in 
his whole journey from Corinth to Jerusalem, 



a Gentile Convert. 

in the year of our Lord fifty-eight. The Greeks 
keep the fourteendi of April in henour of Tro- 
phimus ; and say he was beheaded by the com- 
mand of Nero, together with St. Paul. His 
festival is observed on the twenty-ninth of De- 
cember, by those of Aries. 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLEt>. 



557 



TYCHICUS, a Gentile Convert. 



TYCHICUS was also a disciple of St, 
Paul, whom that apostle often made use 
of, for carrying his letters to the several church- 
es. He was of the province of Asia, and ac- 
companied St. Paul, when, in the year fifty- 
eight, he made his journey from Corinth to 
Jerusalem. He carried the epistle to the Colos- 
sians, ^v^itten in the year sixty-one ; and that 



to the Ephesians, written in sixt) -ii\'c ; and the 
first to Timothy, uritten in sixty-four. 

The Greeks celebrate the festival of T}chicus 
on the eighth or ninth of December, and give 
him the title of one of the seventy disciples, and 
bishop of Colophon, in the province of Asia. . . . 
Other mart}Tologists mark his festival on the 
nineteenth of April. 



TERTIUS, a Gentile Convert. 



TERTIUS, called also Tirentius, was the I tie, salute you in the Lord. The Greeks keep 
amanuensis or scribe of St. Paul, when } his festival on the tenth of November, and give 
he wrote, his epistle to the Romans, in the year | him great commendations : and they make him 



of Christ fifty-eight, as appears in tlie six- 
teenth chapter, / Tertius, who wrote this epis- 



successor to Sosipater, in the bishoprick of 
Iconium, in Asia. 



LINUS, a Gentile Convert. 



LINUS was one of St. Paul's disciples, 
who mentions him in the first chapter of 
his second epistie to Timothy, Linus and Clau- 
dia, and all the brethren greet ye. St. Irensus, 
Eusebius, Optatus, Epiphanius, St. Jerom, 
and Theodoret, affirm, that Linus succeeded 
immediately to St. Peter in the see of Rome ; 



he governed for twelve years and some mondis. 
The destruction of Jerusalem happened during 
his pontificate, in the year of Christ seventy. 
His festival is kept on the fifth of November, by 
the Greeks, and on the twenty-third of Septem- 
ber, by the Latins. 



ONESIPHORUS, a Gentile Convert. 



ONESIPHORUS was a disciple of St. 
Paul, and is mentioned by him in the 
fii-st chapter of his second epistle to Timothy. 
He came to Rome in the year of Christ sixty- 
five, while the apostle was in prisonfor the faith, 
and at a time when almost every one had for- 
saken him. The Greeks place his festival on 



the twenty-ninth of April and the eighth of De- 
cember, and rank him in the order of the se- 
vent}- disciples, and seem to ascribe martyrdom 
to him. The Roman martjTology on the six- 
teenth of December, says, tliat he sufiered man- 
t}-rdom on the Hellespont, w hitlier he went to 
preach the gospel along with Porphyrins. 



STEPHANUS, a Gentile Convert. 



STEPHANUS was one of the principal 
Christians of Corinth, whom St, Paul 
baptized with all his family, as we find in the 
first chapter of the epistle to the Corinthians, 
No. 15. 



probably about tlie fifty -second year of Ch r ist. 

Stcphanus devoted himself to the service of 
the church ; and, in the year of our Lord, fifh'- 
six, he came to St. Paul at Ephesus, and, ac- 
4S 



358 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



eording to St. Chrysostom, brought him letters 
which the church of Corinth wrote to him, in 
order to consult him concerning marriage, con- 
tinency, and perhaps other subjects, which St. 
Paul treats of in the said first epistle to the Cor- 



inthians. This the apostle wrote from Ephe- 
sus, ip.the fifty-sixth year ; and it was sent by 
Stephanus, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, to th.<: 
Corinthian church. 



PHEBE, a Deaconess. 



PHEBE, for whom St. Paul had a particu- 
lar esteem, ^vas a deaconess of the port 
of Corinth, called Cenchrea : and Theodoret 
thinks, that the apostle lodged at the house of 
this holy woman for some time, whi[e he con- 
tinued in or near Corinth. In the sixteenth 
chapter of the Romans, St. Paul says, / com- 
mend unto you Phebe, our sister, which is a ser- 
vant of the church which is at Cenchrea : that 
ye receive her in the Lord, as hecometh saints ; 
and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she 
hath need of you : for she hath been a succOurer 



of many, and of myself also. Some moderns 
have advanced a notion, that Phebe was Avife to 
St. Paul ; but none of the ancients have said 
any thing like it. It is thought, that in quali- 
ty of deaconness, she was employed by the 
church, in some ministrations suitable to her sex 
and condition ; such as visiting and instructing 
the Christian women, attending them in their 
sicknesses, and distributing alms to them.... 
Phebe's festival is fixed by the martyrologists,^ 
on the third of September. 



SO SI PATER, a Gentile Convert, 



WE think, that it may be confidently as- 
serted, that this Sosipater, who was at 
Rome in the fifty-eighth year of Christ, when 
St. Paul wrote his epistle to the Romans, can- 
not be, as some affirm, the Sosipater of Berea ; 
since he accompanied St. Paul, in the same 
year fifty-eight, in his journey to Jerusalem ; . 
and who, probably, went with him from Corinth, 



whence the epistle to the Romans was written 
to go by the way of Macedonia to Jerusalem ;• 
as may be seen in the twentieth chapter of the 
acts of the apostles. 

The Latins celebrate his feast on the twenty, 
fifth of June, and call him a disciple of St. 
Paul. The Greeks honour him upon the 
twenty. eighth or twenty- ninth of AprLU 



DEMAS, a Gentile Professor. 



THE apostle St. Paul, in the fourth chap, 
ter of the Colossians, mentions Demas 
as a native of Thessalonica. At first he was 
one of the most zealous disciples which this 
apostle had, and was very serviceable to him at 
Rome, during his imprisonment there, but some 
years after, about the year of Christ sixty, 
five, he forsook St, Paul, in order to follow a 



more secular life, and withdrew to Thessaloni'i 
ca, the place of his birth. 

Epiphanius informs us, that he renounced the 
faith, and with Cerinthius, Ebion, and others, 
held Jesus Christ to be a mere man : but 
others affirm, that he recovered after thisfaU> 
and suffered martyrdom for the truth. . 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



359 



ARISTARCHUS, a Genttle Convert. 



ARISTARCHUS was one of St. Paul's 
disciples, who has mentioned him in his 
epistles to the Colossians and Philemon : he is 
also often mentioned in the acts of the apostles. 
He was a Macedonian, and a native of Thessa- 
lonica ; he accompanied St. Paul to Ephe- 
sus, and continued with him during the two 
years of his abode there, partaking with him in 
all the dangers and labours of the apostleship. . , . 



He was very near being killed in a tumult rais- 
ed by the Ephesian goldsmiths. 

The Greeks say he was bishop of Apamea, 
in Syria, and was beheaded w ith St. Paul at 
Rome, in the reign of Nero : continuing to the 
very last, inviolably attiichcd to that apostle, \\ ith 
whom he had laboured in the work of the min- 
istry. 



GAIUS, a Gentile Convert. 



THIS person was alsoanother of St. Paul's 
disciples, and mention is made of him 
in the acts of the apostles. He was probably a 
Macedonian, but wassetdedat Corinth, where 
he had the honour to lodge St. Paul, during his 
abode there. When the apostle went into 



Asia, Gains and Aristarchus accompanied him 
as far as Ephesus, where they abode for some 
time with St. Paul. Origen speaks of one 
Gaius, St. Paul's disciple, who was said to have 
been made bishop of Thessalonica, in Mace- 
donia. 



CLEMENT, a Gentile convert. 



THIS disciple is mentioned by St. Paul in 
his epistle to the Philippians, where the 
apostle says, that Clement's name is u'ritten in 
the book of life. The generality of the fathers, 
and other interpreters, make no question but 
that this is the same Clement who succeeded 
St. Peter, after Linus and Cletus, in the gov- 
ernment of the church of Rome ; and this 
seems to be intimated, in the office for 

St. Clement's day, that church appoints this 
part of the epistle to the Philippians to be read. 
On the contrary, Grotius is of opinion, that the 



Clement St. Paul speaks of, was no more than 
a priest of the chm-ch of Philippi in Macedonia. 
We have no certiin accomits of what happen- 
ed to St. Clement during the persecution un- 
der Domitian ; but we ai-e very well assured 
that he lived to the third year of Trajan, which 
is the hundredth of Jesus Christ. His fes- 
tival is set down by Bede, and all the Latin 
martyrologists, on the twenty-third of Novem- 
ber. The Greeks honour him on the twenty- 
fourtli and twenty-fifth of the same month. He 
is ranked amongst the martyrs. 



ANANIAS, a Jewish Convert. 



ANANIAS was a disciple of the blessed 
Jesus : he dwelt at Damascus, when 
he was directed in a vision from the Lord, to 
go and find Paul, who had been lately convert- 
ed, and was come to that city. 

We know no other circumstances of Ana- 
nias' life, besides this now related. The mo- 



dern Greeks maintain, that he was one of the 
seventy disciples, and made bishop of Damas- 
cus : and that having obti\ined die croAvn of 
mart}-rdom, he was buried in the same city : and 
here a fine church is to be seen, in tlie place 
where he was interred. 



•LIEH OF JKSUh CHRIST 



ERASTUS, a Gentile Convert. 



HE ^^'as a liati^"e of Corintli, and disciple 
of St. Paul ; who styles him chamber- 
lain of that cit}', ^^•he^e St. Paul then \N as ; or 
of Jerusalem, according to the modem Greeks. 
He adhered to the apostie, and resigned his 
employment of chamberlain. He followed him 
to Ephesus, where he ^ as in the year fift}^-six 
of Jzsus Christ ; and from whence St. Paul 
sent him, with Timotheus, to Macedon, prob- 



ably in order to prepare the alms expected from 
the faithful. The^r were both A\ith him at Co- 
rinth, in the year fiftj^-eight, when he %vrote his 
epistle to the Romans, whom he salutes in both 
their names ; and it is likely that Erastus ever 
after followed St. Paul, till this apostle's last 
voyage fi-om Corinth in his -way to Rome, where 
he suffered martjTdom in the yeai- sixtj^-five. 



EPAPHRODITUS, a Gentile Convert. 



ST. PAUL calls Epaphroditus, the bishop 
or the apostle of Philippi : or if we under- 
stand the word <ipostolus, in its literal significa- 
tion, the messenger of the Philippians, as hav- 
ing been sent A. D. sixtj-.one, by the faithful 
of this church, to cariy money to the apostle, 
who was then in bonds, and in their name, to 



be serviceable to him \\-ith his person. The 
festival of Epaphroditus is observed by the 
Greeks, on the eighth or ninth of December, 
as well as on the twentj^-ninth and thirtieth of 
March ; and they style him apostle, one of the 
se^•enty disciples, and bishop of Adriasa, or 
Andraca. 



EPAPHRAS, a Gentile Convert. 



IT is general!}' believed, that Epaphras was 
the first bishop of Colosse : he was con- 
verted by St. Paul, and ver\' much contributed 
to the conversion of his fellow-citizens there. 
He came to Rome, while St. Paul was in bonds 
in that city ; and ^^■as himself imprisoned Mith 



the same apostje, for the cause of Christianity. 

The festival of Epaphras, is set down in the 
calendars, on the nineteenth of July; and in 
them it is said, that he suffered Martyrdom at 
Colosse, in Phrj-gia. 



JOHN MARK, THE DISCIPLE. 



JOHN ]NL\RK was the son of a Christian 
^voman, named Man,-, \\ ho had a house in 
Jerusalem, where the apostleS and the faithful 
generally used to meet; he Avas also cousin 
to St. Barnabas, and a disciple of his. 

In the year fifty-one, Paul and Barnabas pre- 
paring to return into Asia, in order to \\s\t the 
chiu"ches which they had formed there, M-as of 
opinion, that John Mark should accompany 
them in this journey ; but St. Paul would not 
consent to it : upon which occasion these tsvo 
apostles separated. Paul went to Asia, and 
Barnabas, with John Mark, to the isle of Cy- 
prus. 



We find the apostle speaking ad\^tageous- 

ly of him, in his epistle to the Colossians 

J^Iarcus, sister^s son to Barnabas, saluteth you : 
if he cometh unto you, receive him. He makes 
mention of him again, in his epistle to Phile- 
mon, VATitten in the year sixt}--t\\ o, at %^"hich 
time he was with St. Paul at Rome : but in the 
year sixty-fi-ve, he was M"ith Timothy in Asia. 
And St. Paul \\Titing to Timothy, desires him 
to bring INIarcus to Rome ; adding, that he 
was useful to him, for the ministry of the gos- 
pel m those parts. The festival of John Mark 
is kept in the Greek and Latin Churches, oh 
the twent}--seventh of September. Some say, 
that he M as Bishop of Biblis, in Phoenicia. 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



.361 



AGABUS, the Disciple and Prophet. 



THE Greeks assure us, that Agabus was 
one of the seventy disciples of our Savi- 
our. He foretold that there ^\•ould be a great 
famine over all the earth : and St. Luke, in the 
Acts, informs us, that it accordingly happened 
■under the emperor Claudius, in the fourth year 
of his reign, and forty-fourth year of Jesus 
Christ. 

In the year of Christ fifty-eight, which was 
ten years after the above event, as St. Paul was 



going to Jerusalem, and liad already landed at 
Cesarea, in Palestine, the same prophet Agu.» 
bus predicted, that St. Paul should be deliver- 
ed into the hands of the Gentiles. 

The Greeks say, that he suffered martyrdom 
at Antioch ; and they observe his festival on 
the eighth of March. Ever since the ninth 
age, it has been kept on the ninth of Februaiy , 
by the Latins. 



MANAEN, a Disciple and Prophet. 



MANAEN, or Manahem, was the foster 
brother of Herod Antipas, and is men- 
tioned in the thirteenth chapter of the Acts, 
and forty-fourth year of Christ. He was at 
Antioch with the other Prophets, as Simon, 
sumamed Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Barnabas, 
and Saul, when the Holy Ghost said to them. 
Separate me Barnabas arul Saul, for the work 



whereunto I have called them. Then after hav- 
ing fasted and prayed, they laid their hands on 
them, and let them go. It is thought that 
Manaen was of the number of the seventy disv 
ciples. 

The authors of the Latin Martyrolog}-, put 
his feast on the twentj'-fourth of May, and say 
that he died at Antioch. 



LUCIUS, a Disciple and Christian Prophet. 



WE find, that Lucius of Cyrene, who is 
mentioned in the thirteenth chapter 
of the Acts, was one of the prophets of the 
Christian Church at Antioch. Some take Lu- 
cius to have been one of our Lord's seventy 



disciples. Usuard and Ado assert, that the 
apostle ordained him first bishop of Cyrene. 
He is honoured on the sixth day of May, by 
tlie Latin church. 



NICOLAS, a Disciple and Deacon. 



NICOLAS was a proselyte at Antioch, 
and there converted from the Pag-an, to 
the Jewish religion ; but the time of his birth 
is uncertain. Afterwards he embraced Chris- 
tianity, and was one of the most zealous and 
most holy men amongst the first Christians : 
so that he was chosen for one of the seven first 



deacons of the church of Jerusalem. But he af- 
terwards plunged himself into irregularities, and 
gave beginnings to the sect of the Nicolaitans, 
to that of the Gnostics, and to several others ; 
who, folloA\"ing the bent of their passions, in- 
vented a thousand different sorts of crimes and 
excesses. 



NICODEMUS, an Hebrew Convert. 



THIS remarkable disciple of our blessed 
Saviour was a JeW by nation, and by 
sect a Pharisee. The gospel calls him a ruler 
l^o» 16. 4 T 



(f the Jews ; and Christ gives him the name 
Of a master of Israel. When our Saviour be- 
gan to manifest himself by liis miracles at Jc- 



362 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST^ 



rusalem, at the first passover which he cele- 
brated there after his baptism, Nicodemus 
made no doubt but that he was the Messiah, 
and came to him by night, that he might learn 
of him the way to salvation. 

Nicodemus, after this conversation, became 
a disciple of Jesus Christ ; and there is no 
doubt to be made, but he came to hear him, 
as often as our Saviour came to Jerusalem. It 
happened on a time, that the priests and Phar- 
isees had sent officers to seize Jesus, who re- 
turned to them, and made this report, that ne- 



ver man spoke as he did. Afterwards Nico^ 
demus declared himself openly a disciple of 
Jesus Christ, when he came with Joseph of 
Arimatliea, to pay the last duties to the body 
of C HRisT, crucified; which thev took down 
from the cross, embalmed, and laid in the se- 
pulchre, prepared for his reception. 

When he died, Gamaliel buried him honour- 
ably, near St. Stephen : his body was discover- 
ed in the year 415, together with those of St. Ste- 
phen, and Gamaliel ; and the Latin church pays 
honour on the third of August, to all the three. 



JOSEPH, an Hebrew Disciple. 



THIS Joseph, or Joses, was the son of 
Mary Cleophas, brother to St. James 
the Less, and a near relation to the blessed Je- 
sus, according to the flesh ; being the son of 
Mar}^, the holy ^ irgin's sister, and of Cleophas, 



who was Joseph's brother, or son to Joseph 
himself, by his first wife, as several of the an- 
cients suppose. We learn nothing particular 
in Scripture, concerning Joseph, the brother 
of our Lord. 



JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA, an Hebrew Disciple. 



JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA, or ofRana- 
tha, Rama, or Ramula, a city between 
Joppa and Jerusalem, ^^-^as a Jewish senator, and 
privately a disciple of Jesus Christ : he was 
not consenting to the designs of the rest of the 
Jews, particularly of the members of the San- 
hedrim, who condemned and put Je sus Christ 
to death : but when our Saviour w^as dead, he 
went boldly to Pilate, and desired the body of 
Jesus, in order to bury it. This he obtained ; 



and, accordingly, he buried it after an honour- 
able manner, in a sepulchre, newly made in a 
garden, which was upon the same M^ount Cal- 
vary, where Jesus had been crucified. After 
he had placed it there, he closed the entrance of 
it with a stone, cut particularly for this pur- 
pose, and which exactly filled the open part. 

The festival of Joseph of Arimathea, is ob- 
served by the Greek church, on the thirty-first 
of July. 



CLEOPHAS, an Hebrew Convert. 



WE are told by the ancient fathers, who 
mention Cleophas, that he was brother 
to Joseph, and both of them th^ sons of Jacob. 
He was the father of Simeon, bishop of Jerusa- 
lem, of St. James the Less, of St. Jude, and of 
Joseph, or Joses. Cleophas married Mary, 
sister to the blessed virgin ; so that he w^as un- 
cle to Jesus Christ, and his sons were cou- 
sin germans to our Saviour. Cleophas his 
■wife, and sons, were some of the faithful dis- 
ciples of Jesus Christ, and of the number 
who looked upon him as the Redeemer and 



Salvation of Israel. But Cleophas did not suf- 
ficiently understand the mystery of the cross, 
and what Jesus had so often told his disciples, 
that it was expedient he should die, and return 
to his Father. Cleophas having beheld our 
Saviour expire upon the cross, lost all hopes 
of seeing the kingdom of God established by 
his means upon earth', expecting, with many 
of the Jews, a temporal prince and deliverer^ 
This disciple departed from Jerusalem, two 
days after our Saviour's death ^ that is to say,, 
pn the very day of his resuiTection : aiid,as hp 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



963 



was going to Emmaus, with another disciple, 
while they were entertaining themselves with 
what had passed during the feast, particularly, 
with respect to Jesus Christ, our Saviour 
joined them in the form of a traveller. 

Ecclesiastical historians do not particularly 
tell us, what were the actions of St. Clcophas, 
during the remainder of his hfe, after the time 



our Saviour appeared to him «nd the rest of his 
disciples, after his resurrection : but Usuardus 
and Ado alTirm, that he suffered martyrdom, 
and was biu-ied in the same house, where he 
had received Jesus Christ at his table. 

The Greeks, who style him an apostle, make 
mention of him on the thirteenth, or rather on 
the thirtieth of October. 



PHILEMON, a Gentile Convert. 



THIS eminent disciple, was a rich citizen 
of Colosse, and probably a native of that 
place. He was converted, together \vith his 
wife, to the Christian faith, by-Epaphras, a dis- 
ciple of St. Paul ; for St. Paul himself never 
preached in Colosse, though he wrote an epis- 
tle to the brethren there. 

We read, that Philemon had made a church 



of his house ; and all his domestics, as well as 
himself, were of the household of faith. His 
charity, liberality, and compassion, were a sure 
refuge to all who were in distress : he followed 
the example of that great Master, in whom he 
believed ; and was delighted, when exercised 
in works of beneficence and mercy. His name 
is placed on the twenty-second of Novembel-, 
in the martyrologies. 



ONESIMUS, a Gentile Convert. 



ECCLESIASTICAL history relates, that 
Onesimus Vvas a native of Phrygia, and 
for many years a slave to Philemon, but was at 
last converted by St. Paul, in the following 
manna- : Onesimus was a young man, whom 
his companions Imd dra^^■n into ^^•icked cour- 
ses ; he refused to listen to tlie admonitions of 
his master : on the contrary, he robbed him, 
and fled to Rome about the yeaa- sixty-one, 
wliile St. Paul was there in prison the first time. 
As Onesimus knew the apostle by reputation, 
his Master Philemon being a christian, he made 
it his business to find him out ; and being now 
sorry for the faults he had committed, confes- 
sed every thing to St. Paul, and did him t Jl the 
service that even Philemon himself could have 
done, had he been at Rome. St. Paul soon 



brought him to the sense of his crimes, pre^ 
vailed on him to receive the gospel, instructed 
him, converted him, baptized him, and soon 
after sent him back to his master Philemon, 
with a letter, which we have still amongst St. 
Paul's epistles, and which is acknowledged as 
canonical by Christian churches in general 

The martyrologists give him the title of apos- 
tle ; and say that he ended his life by mait}T- 
dom. The Roman mailyrology places his fes- 
tival upon tlie sixteenth of Februarj- ; and says, 
that having succeeded Timothy in the bishop- 
ric of Ephesus, and having been charged with 
the preaching of the gospel, he was taken into 
custody and sent to Rome, where he was ston- 
ed for his faith in Jesus Christ. 



FRISCILLA, a Jewish Convert. 



IN the times of the apostles, Priscilla was 
very famous in the church, and is often 
mentioned by the sacred writers, before her 
husband Aquila» They wer.e both Jews ; but 



their country and births are uncertain. They 
^\•ere at Corinth wheii Sr. Paul came thither, 
and had tlie happiness of entertaining him in 
tliejr house a very considerable time ; the apos- 



364 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



de being of the same trade with Aquila ; name- 
ly, a maker of tents of leather, for the use of the 
army, and at which they both wrought for some 
time, for tlieir livelihood. 

On St. Paul's leaving Corinth, both Aquila 
and Priscilla came with him to Ephesus, where 
they dwelt a considerable time, and preached 
the gospel with good success. Their house 
was so well regulated, that St. Paul calls it a 
church ; an example that should, in some mea- 
sure, be followed by every one who pretends to 



be a follower of the blessed Jesus, though 
shamefully neglected by the greatest part oi' 
Cliristians in the present day. 

Whether they died in peace, or by the hands 
of tliose who opposed the progress of the Chris- 
tian faith, is not known : but however this be, 
they laboured faithfully to extend the religion 
of Jesus ; and, therefore, have been justly plac- 
ed amongst the first preachers of the gospel in 
the apostolic age. 



APOLLOS, a Jewish Convert. 



THE ancient writers give no account eith- 
er of the birth or family of Apollos ; all 
they mention is, that he was a Jew of Alexan- 
dria, and came to Ephesus during St. Paul's 
absence, who was gone to Jerusalem, to visit 
the other apostles, and the church in that city. 

This eminent person was distinguished for 
his eloquence, and knowledge of the Scriptures, 
He was instructed in the way of the Lord ; and 
as he spoke with zeal and fervour, taught dili- 
gently the things relating to the kingdom of 
heaven, though he knew only the baptism of 
John. 

Apollos was no sooner come to Ephesus, 



than he began to speak boldly in the synagogue, 
and to shew that Jesus was the Christ. .« 
Aquila and Priscilla, having heard him, took 
him home with them, instructed him more ful- 
ly in the ways of the Almighty, and baptized 
him. He was very useful at Corinth, in con- 
vincing the Jews out of the Scriptures, and de- 
monstrating to them that J E su s was the Christ* 
Thus he watered what Paul had planted in that 
city. 

It is allowed by all, that he was an active and 
powerful preacher of the gospel ; and that great 
numbers were, by his preaching, rendered obe- 
dient to the faith of Christ. 



TITUS, a Gentile Convert. 



THIS eminent person was a Heathen by 
religion and birth, but converted by St. 
Paul who calls him his son . Titus was sent by 
St. Paul to Corinth, upon occasion of some dis- 
putes which then divided the church. He was 
very well received by the Corinthians, and 
very much satisfied with their ready compli- 
ance ; but would receive nothing from them, 
imitating thereby the disinterestedness of his 
Master, who sought not theirs, but them. 

He went from Corinth to St. Paul into Ma- 
cedonia, and gave him an account of the state 
of the Corinthian church. A little while after, 
tiie apostle desired him to return again to Co- 
rinth, to set things in order against his coming. 
Titus readily undertook this journey, and de- 
parted immediately, carrying with hira St. 
Paul's 'second letter to the Corinthians. 



Titus was made bishop of the isle of Crete, 
about the sixty-third year of Christ, when 
St. Paul was obliged to quit this island, in or- 
der to take care of the other churches. The 
following year he wrote to him to desire, that 
as soon as he should have sent Tychicus or 
Artemasto him for supplying his place in Crete^ 
Titus would come to him to Nicepolis in Ma- 
cedonia, or to Nicepolis in Epirus upon the 
gulf of Ambracia, where the apostle intended 
to pass his winter. The subject of this epistle 
is to represent to Titus what are the qualities, 
that a bishoj:) should be endued with. 

St. Paul's epistle to Titus has always beea 
acknowledged by the church. The Marcion- 
ites did not receive it, nor did die Basilidians^ 
and some other Heretics ; but Tatian» the 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



365 



head of the Encratites, received it, and pre- 
ferred it before all the rest. It is not certainly 
known by whom it was sent, nor from what 
place it was written. 

It appears, that Titus was deputed to preach 
the gospel in Delmatia ; and he was still there 



in the year sixty-five, when tlic apostle wrote 
his second epistle to Timothy. He died at the 
age of ninety-four, and was buried in Crete.... 
His festival is kept by the Greeks on the 25th 
of August, and on the 4tli of Januiirj' by the 
Latin church. 



TIMOTHY, a Gentile Convert. 



HE was born according to some at Lys- 
tra ; or, according to others, at Derbe. 
His father was a Gentile, but his mother a 
Jewess, whose name was Eunice, and that of 
his grandmother Lais. He was a convert and 
disciple of St. Paul. 

We take notice of these particulars, because 
St. Paul commends their piety, and the good 
education which they had given Timotliy. 
When St. Paul came to Derbe and Lystra 
about the year of Christ fifty-one or fifty-two, 
the brethren gave a very advantageous testi- 
mony of the merit and good dispositions of Ti- 
mothy ; and the apostle would have him along 
with him ; but he circumcised him at Lystra, 
before he receiv ed him into his company. 

Timothy applied himself to labour with St. 
Paul in the business of the gospel ; and did 
him very important services, through the whole 
course of his preaching. 

Timothy accompanied St. Paul to Macedo- 
nia, to Philippi, to Thessalonica, to Berea ; 
and when the apostle went from Berea, he left 
Timothy and Silas there to confirm the con- 
verts. When he came to Athens, he sent to 
Timothy to come thither to him ; and when he 



was come, and had given him an account of' 
the churches of Macedonia, St. Paul sent hhu 
back to Thessalonica, from whence he after- 
wards returned with Silas, and came to St. 
Paul at Corinth. There he continued with 
him, and the apostle mentions him with Silas 
at the beginning of the two epistles, \\ hich he 
then wrote to the church at Thessalonica. In 
the year sixty-three, when St. Paul w rote to 
the Hebrews, he tells them that Timothy was 
come out of prison ; but he gives us no cir- 
cumstances either of the imprisonment of this 
disciple, or of his release. In sixty-four, when 
St. Paul returned from Rome, he left Timothv 
at Ephesus to take care of that church, of 
which he was the first bishop, as he is recog- 
nized by the council of Chalcedon. St. Paul 
WTOte to Timothy from Macedonia, the first of 
tlie two letters which are addressed to him. 

We may safely affirm, that if he did not die 
before the year ninety-seven, he must be the 
angel of the church of Ephesus, to whom St. 
John writes. Rev. ii. 2 — 5 : though the re- 
proaches which the Holy Ghost make to him, 
&:c. of having left his first \o\q^ do not seem to 
belong to so holy a man as Timothy A\ as. 



ST. STEPHEN, the Proto-Martyr. 



IN the year fifty-three, the seven deacons 
were chosen, and we find St. Stephen al- 
ways placed at their head, as the chief and most 
worthy ; and it is generally believed, tliat he 
had been brought up at the feet of Gamaliel. 
However, he was remarkably zealous for the 
^ause of religion, and full of the Holy Ghost ; 
working n a ly wonderful miracles before the 
people, and pressing them widi the greatest 
No, 16r 4 



earnestness to embrace the doctrines of the 
gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Tiie Jews were highly provoked at ^hc zeal 
of Stephen, and some of the synagogue of tlie 
freed men of Cyrenia, Alexandria, and other 
places, entered into dispute witli him ; but 
being unable to resist the ^^ isdom and spirit by 
which he spake, thc}- suborned false v itncsscs 
against him, to testify that they heard him 
U 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



blaspheme against Moses and against God. 
Nor did they stop here : they stirred up the 
people by their calumnies ; so that they drag- 
ged him before the council of the nation, or 
great Sanhedrim, where they produced false 
witnesses against him, who deposed, that they 
had heard him speak against the temple, and 
against the law, and affirm that Jesus of Naza- 
reth would desti-oy the holy place, and abolish 
the law of Moses. Stephen, supported by his 
own innocence and an invisible Power from on 
high, appeared undaunted in the midst of this 
assembly, and his countenance shone like that 
of an angel. 

The Jewish council were so highly enraged 
at the speech of Stephen, especially the latter 
part of it, that they gnashed their teeth against 
him : but Stephen lifting up his eyes to hea- 
ven, saw the glory of God, and Jesus stand- 



ing at the right hand of Omnipotence ; upon 
whicli, he said to the council, / see the hea- 
vens open, and the son of man standing at the 
right hand of God. This so greatly provoked 
the Jews, that they cried out with one voice, 
and stopped their ears, as if they had heard 
some dreadful blasphemy ; and falling upon 
him, they dragged him out of the city, and 
stoned him to death. 

It is related in scripture, that St. Stephen, 
while they were mangling his body with stones, 
was praying to God for their pardon : Lord. 
said he, lay not this sin to their charge. And 
then calling on his dear Redeemer to receive 
his spirit, he yielded up his soul. Some pious 
persons m^io beheld the martyrdom of this 
good man, took cai^e to bury his remains i 
ajid the church attended his funeral with great 
lamentations. 



t=tFfr=fe=&=tFfe=fe=t=if=fe=fe=»=ir=fe=fe=lr=fe=fe=iFfe=t= t=-fc= b= b= fe= t= fc= tr= 6=4?= b= t= SF^-4F ir= 

ST. SILAS or SYLVANUS, an Hebrew Disciple. 



THIS holy person was, according to St. 
Luke, a chief man amongst the breth- 
ren, an expression which indicates that he was 
one of the seventy disciples : but the first ac- 
count we have of him, is in the transaction re- 
lating to the dispute between the Jewish and 
Christian converts, with regard to the neces- 
sity of keeping the law of Moses, when they 
chose Paul, Barnabas, Judas, and Silas, to go 
to Jerusalem, to advise with the apostles con- 
ceming this question. 

Be that as it may,, when the dispute happen- 
ed between Paul and Barnabas, which termi- 
nated in a rupture, Silas joined himself to Paul, 
and became his companion and assistant in the 
great work of preaching the gospel to the Gen- 
tiles. They first visited the churches of Syria 
and Cilicia ; from thence they passed into Ly- 
conia, Phrygia, and Galatia ; and, lastly, they 
crossed the sea, and came into Macedonia. 

During their stay at Philippi, they found a 
young woman possessed with an unclean spirit, 
'^yho followed them several days, till Paul cast 



out the evil spirit, and delivered her fifom so 
dreadful a plague. This action provoked the 
masters of the young woman ; for she acquir- 
ed considerable gains by the oraeles and pre- 
dictions the devil pronounced by making use 
of her organs : they therefore seized upon Paul 
and Silas, dragged them before the magistr.'tes, 
and accused them of introducing customs 
amongst them, contrary to those of the Ro- 
mans ; so that the magistrates ordered that 
Paul and Silas should be scourged, and com- 
mitted to prison : but in die night-time there 
was a great earthquake, the doors of the prison 
opened, and the fetters of the prisoners fell 
off without any human assistance. 

Departing from Philippi, they ti-a veiled to 
Thessalonica and Berea, where they preached 
the doctrines of the gospel ; and Paul conti- 
nuing his journey to Athens, sent Silas thither, 
though they did not meet till they both arrived 
at Corinth, where St. Paul- wrote his two epis^ 
ties to the Thessalonian ehurchv 



AND LIVES OF HIS Af OSTLES. 



ST. PHILIP, the Deacon, an Hebrew Convert. 



IT is supposed that St. Philip was a native 
of Cesarea, in GaliU c, it being certain that 
his daughters Uved in that city ; however, he 
was one of the seven deacons, chosen by the 
apostles, soon after our Saviour's resurrection. 

All the Christians, except the apostles, hav- 
ing, after the death of St. Stephen, left Jeru- 
salem, and dispersed themselves in several 
parts, St. Philip went do\vn to preach the gos- 
pel at Samai'ia, where he wrought many mira- 
cles, and converted great numbers to the faith ; 
he also baptized them, but being only a dea- 
con, could not administer the sacrament of die 
Lord's supper. 

It is probable St. Philip, was at Samaria, 
when the angel directed him to go towards the 
South, to the road that leads from Jerusalem to 
Old Gaza, an ancient city in the route to Egypt. 
Philip obeyed the summons of the heavenly 
messenger, and there met with an Ethiopian 
eunuch, belonging to Candace, queen of Ethi- 
opia ; a person who was highl}' esteemed by 
his mistress, as m ell as intrusted with the care 
of all her revenues, and ^vho had been at Jeru- 
salem, to worship the x\lmighty in that city. 

When the chariot of this Ethiopian appeared 
in the sight of Philip, the angel bid him ad^^anee 
towards the stranger : he immediately obeyed, 
•and heard the eunuch reading a passage of the 



prophet Isaiah ; upon which Piiilip asked him, 
if he understood what he was reading .'' And 
the eunuch answered, how should I understand, 
except some person siiould explain it to me ; 
desiring Philip, that he would come and sit 
down by him in the chariot. The passage he 
read was this : He was led as a sheep to the 
slaughter ; and as a lamb before his shearers is 
dumb, so he opened not his mouth. Having fin- 
ished the passage, the eunuch desired to know 
whom the prophet intended : "Is it, says he, 
himself the prophet here means, or some other 
man?" In answer to the question proposed 
by the eunuch, Philip began to instruct him 
concerning the Redeemer of the world, the man 
Christ Jesus; and afterwards baptized him, 
and he became a member of the Church of 
Christ. 

The sacred writers are silent, with regard 
to the actions of St. Philip, after the time of 
liis baptizing the Ethiopian eunuch : but the 
Greek ecclesiastical writers say, that he left 
Palestine and travelled to Tralles, in the Lesser 
Asia, where he founded a church, of which he 
was both the bishop and apostle ; and wherCj 
after long labouring in the vineyard of his Mas- 
ter, and working many miracles, he slept in 
peace, and was buried in the church he had 
caused to be erected. 



ST. THADDEUS, THE DISCIPLE. 



IT is generally supposed that St. Thaddeus 
was the brother of St. I'homas, and one of 
our Saviour's seventy disciples. He is not 
mentioned pai'ticularly in the e%-angelical his- 
tory, but in common with the rest of the seven- 
ty ; he constantly attended the discourses, and 
was an e3'e-^vitness to the miracles of his great 
,ft^fester, the Son of the Living God. 

What die ti-ansactions of Thaddeus were, 
^respecting the propagutioii Oi the gospel, cannot 
be ascertained, because he has not been well 
distinguished ironi St. Jude. The Latins hon- 
,our one St. Thaddeus, on the eleventh of May, 
^whom they seem to make a miirtyr in Asia : 
and the Greeks remember him on the twentv- 
. Jirst of August. They say, that he died in peace 
^siX Berytus in Phoenicia, after l)aptizing many 
persons in that city and tlie neighbouring parts. 



Having now given the most ample account 
possible of the followers of the blessed Jesus, 
the persons who spread the light of the glori- 
ous gospel over the whole world, removed the 
veil of ignorance and superstition dra^ n over 
the kingdoms of the earth, and taught us the 
method of attaining eternal happiness in the 
courts of the new Jerusalem ; may it be our 
highest ambition to follow their bright exam- 
ple, as they followed Christ ; may we imitate 
their faith, piety, hope, and \o\q ; then shall 
Vv C pass through things temporal in such a man- 
ner, that we shall finally gain the things that arc 
eternal, and be admitted as worthy guests ar 
the marriage supper of the Lamb, to adore and 
praise him, and live and reign w ith him in his 
heavenly kiugflom for ever and ever. So be it. . 



3€« UFE OF JESUS CHRIST 

d COMPLETE GENEBAL VIEJV 

OF THE 

APOSTLES AND THEIR SUCCESSORS, 

IN THE FIVE GREAT CHURCHES FOUNDED BY THEM, THENCE CALLED BY THE ANCIENTS, 

APOSTOLIC CHURCHES; 

NAMELY, 

ANTIOCH, ROME, JERUSALEM, BYZANTIUM OR CONSTANTINOPLE, AND ALEXANDRIA ; 
DURING THE FIRST THREE HUNDRED YEARS OF THE CHRISTIAN jERA. 

THE CHURCH AT ANTIOCH, IN SYRIA. 



WE place this first, paitly because It is 
generally acknowledged, even by the 
Romish writers, that a church was founded 
here by Sr.. Peter some considerable time be- 
fore that at Rome ; partly because here it was 
that the venerable name of Christians did first 
commence. In which respect the fathers in 
the council at Constantinople under Nectarius, 
in their synodicon to them at Rome, style the 
church of Antioch, The most ancient, and truly 
apostolical ; and, St. Chrysostom, the head of 
the whole -ivorld. The succession of its bishops 
till the time of Constantine (which shall be the 
boundary of this account) was in the following- 
order : 

I. St. Peter the apostle, who governed tliis 
.church, at least seven years : Nicephorus of 
Constantinople says eleven. 

II. Evodius, who sat twenty-three years. 
The disciples were first called Christians at 
Antioch in his time. 

III. Ignatius : after near forty years presi- 
dency over this church, he was carried out of 
Syria to Rome, and there throAvn to wild beasts 
in the theatre, A. D. one hundred and ten ; 
Trajan, eleven. 

IV. Heron : he was bishop twenty years. 
To him succeeded, 

V. Cornelius, who kept the place thirteen 
yeai-s, dying A. D. one hundred and forty-two. 

VI. jE^ros, twenty-six ; or^ as Eusebius, 
twenty-four years. 

VII. Theophilus, thirteen : he was a man 
of great parts and learning ; many of his works 



were extant in Eusebius's time, and some ot i 
them are handed down to us. 

VIII. Maximinus, thirteen ; he dying, the 
next that was chosen, was 

IX. Serapio, twenty-fiAC : many of his works- 
are mentioned by Eusebius and St. Jerom. 
To him succeeded 

X. Asclepiades : he was a man of great 
worth and eminency, and invincible constancy - 
in the time of persecution : he continued in 
this see nine years. 

XL Philetus, eight. 

XII. Zebinus,orZebennus; he sat six years. 

XIII. Babylas, thirteen : after many con- 
flicts and suflerings for the feith, he received 
the crowii of martyrdom under Decius, who 
commanded his chains to be buried with hinv 

XIV. Fabius, or, as the patriarch Nicepho- 
rus calls him, Flavius, possessed the chair 
nine years. He was a little inclining towards- 
novationisrn. 

XV. Demetrianus : he sat bishop, accord- . ' 

ing to Nicephorus, four ; Eusebius says, eight \ 

i 

years. 

XVI. Paulus Samosatenus sat in the chair ' 
eight years ; when, for his unepiscopal man- ^ 
ners and practices, his unsound dogmata and l 
principles, and especially his mean and un- 
worthy opinions concerning our Saviour, he 1 
was condemned and deposed by a synod at \ 
Antioch, whose sy nodical determination is at J 
large extant in Eusebius's history. 

XVII. Domnus succeeded in the place of 

the deposed. He was son to Demetrian, Pau- j- 



I 



AND LIVES OF 

lus'b predecessor in that sec ; constituted and 
ordained to the place by the fathers of that sy- 
nod, who further give him this honourable 
character, that he was a man endued with all 
episcopal virtues and ornaments. Eusebius 
makes him to have held the see six, Nicepho- 
rus but two years. 

XVIII. Timzeus : he sat in the chair ten 

XIX. Cyrillus, who presided over that 
church, in the account of Nicephorus, fifteen ; 
according to Eusebius twenty-four years. 

XX. Tyrannus : he sat thirteen years. In 
his time began the tenth persecution under 



THE CHURCH AT 

MANY of the fathers have with good rea- 
son, equally attributed the foundation 
of this celebrated church to Peter and Paul, the 
one as the apostle of the circumcision preached 
to the Jews, while the other, probably as the 
,1 apostle of the uncircumcision preached to the 
Gentiles. The following is the order in which 
its bishops succeeded. 
!| - 1. St. Peter and St. Paul, who both suffered 
martyrdom under Nero, the Roman emperor. 

II. Linus, the son of Herculanus, a Tus- 
can ; he is mentioned by St. Paul : lie sat be- 

' tween eleven and twelve yeai's. 

III. Cletus, or Anacletus, or Anancletus, 
I * a Roman, the son of .'Emilianus : he sat nine, 

though others say but two years. 

IV. Clemens, a Roman, born in Mount 
i Caslius, was the son of Faustinus, near a-kin, 

say some, to the emperor : he was condemn- 
' ed to dig in the marble quarries near the Eux- 

ine sea, and, by the command of Trajan, with 

an anchor about his neck, thrown into the sea. 
j He was bishop of Rome nine years and four 

months. 

I V. Euaristus, by birth a Greek ; but his 
father was a Jew of Bethlehem : he is said to 
i have been crowned with martyrdom the last 
year of Trajan, in the nintli of his bishopric, 
or the thirteenth, according to others. 

VI. Alexander, aHoman, though young in 
years, was grave in his maimers and conversa- 
No. la. 4 



HIS APOSTLE^i. 369 

Dioclesian, which raged with great bCvcrit; 
against the Christians. 

XXI. Vitalis, six. 

XXII. Philogonius, live ; he was succeed 
ed by 

XXIII. Paulinus, or, as Nicephorus calls 
him, Paulus ; who, after five years, was de- 
posed and driven out by the Arian faction, 
which then prevailed. 

XXIV. Eustathius, formerly bishop of Be- 
rcEa, was a learned man, and of great note and 
eminency in the council of Nice, u hich was 
the first general council summoned by Con- 
stantine the Great, after he had restored peace 
and prosperity to the church in general. 



ROME, IN ITALY. 

tion : he sat ten years and seven months, and 
died a martyr. 

VII. Xystus, or Sixtus, a Roman : he was 
martyred in the tenth year of his bishopric, 
and buried in the Vatican at Rome, 

VIII. Telesphorus, a Greek, succeeded ; 
Justin the martyr flourished in his time. He 
died a martyr, having sat eleven years and 
three months ; ten years and eight months, 
according to others ; and lies buried near St. 
Peter, in the Vatican. 

IX. Hyginus, die son of an Athenian philo- 
sopher, was advanced to the chair under An- 
tonius Pius : he sat four years : Eusebius says 
eight. 

X. Pius, an Italian, was born at Aquileia : 
he died, having been bishop eleven years and 
four months ; according to Eusebius, fifteen 
years. 

XI. Anicetus, bom in S} ria : he is said, 
after nine, or, as others, ele ven 3 ears, to have 
suffered maityrdom, and was buried in the 
Via Appia, in the cemetery of Callislus. In 
his time Polycai-p came to Rome. 

XII. Soter, or, as Nicephorus calls him, 
Soterichus, was a Campanian, the son of Con- 
cordius. There was an intercourse of letters 
between him and Dionysius, bishop of Co- 
rintli. He died after he had sat nine, or, as 
Eusebius reckons, seven years. 

XIII. Eleutjierius, bonv at Nicopolis iit 

W 



370 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



Greece. To him Lucius king of Britain sent 
a letter and an embassy. He sat fifteen years, 
died A. D. one hundred and eighty-six, and 
lies buried in the Vatican at Rome. 

XIV. Victor, an African, the son of Fe- 
lix, was a man of a furious and intemperate 
spirit. He Avas bishop ten years. 

XV. Zephyrimis, a Roman, succeeded, and 
possessed the chair eight, or, as others, eigh- 
teen years ; twenty, says Onuphrius : a pious 
and learned man, but a little warping towards 
the errors of Montanus. 

XVI. Callistuf, or Calixtus, the son of 
Domitius, a Roman ; a prudent and modest 
man : he suffered much in the persecution 
under Alexander Severus, under whom he 
became a martyr, being thrown into a well by 
the procurement of Ulpian the great lawyer, 
but a severe enemy to Christians. He sat six 
years, or, as others maintain, five and one 
month ; and though he made a cemetery, or 
burial place, called after his own name, yet 
was he buried, ia that of Galepodius^ in the 
Appian Way. 

XVH. Urbanus, the son of Politi&nus, a 
Rornan ; after four, or, as some, &iS: years, 
he suffered martyrdom for the faith : Eusebius 
has five, St. Jerom, in his translation, nine. 
He v.'as buried in Prsetextatus's cemetery in 
the Appian Way. 

XVHI. Pontianus, the son of Calphurnius, 
a Roman : for his boldly reproving the Roman 
idolatry, he was banished into the island Sar- 
dinia, where he died ; he was bishop about 
three or four, or, as Eusebius, five years. 

XIX. Anteros, a Greek, the son of Romu- 
lus : he died, according to some, when he 
had kept his place only one month (though 
others, without reason, make him to have li- 
ved in it many yeai-s) and was buried in the 
ceraeteiy of Callistus. 

XX. Fabianus, a Roman ; he was unex- 
pectedly chosen bishop, while, several others 
being in competition, a pigeon suddenly de- ' 
scended, and sat upon his head, the great em- . 
blem of the Holy Spirit. He died a martyr, ; 
after fourteen years ; and was buried in the 
^me place with his predecessor. 

XXI. Cornelius, a Romany who opposed 
and condemned Novation : frequent letters 
|>assed between him and Cyprian. After some- 



what more than two years, he was first eruelly 
whipped, then beheaded, and afterwards bu- 
ried in a vault within the grange of Lucina, 
near the Appian Way. 

XXII. Lucius, a Roman, sat two, or, as 
others, three years : he suffered martyrdom 
by the command of Valerian, and was buried 
in Callistus's cemetery. 

XXHI. Stephanus, a Roman, the son of 
Julius : great contests were between him and 
Cj-prian, about re-baptizing those who had 
been baptized by Heretics. He was beheaded 
after he had sat about two or three }'^ears, 
though others say seven ; and was buried by 
his predecessor. 

XXIV. Xystus, a Greek, formerly a phi- 
losopher of Athens. After one, or, as others- 
compute, two years and ten months, he suf- 
fered martyrdom : Eusebius reckons it eight 
years. 

XXV. Dionysius, of a monk made bishop : 
in the judgment of Dionysius, bishop of Alex- 
andria, was a truly learned and admirable pei-- 
son. The time of his presidency is uncer- 
tainly assigned, six,, nine, ten, eleven : Eu- 
sebius extends it to twelve years. 

XXVI. Felix, a Roman ; in his time arose 
the Manichaean heresy. He suffered about the. 
fourth or fifth year of his episcopacy, and lies 
buried in the Aurelian W ay, in a cemetery of 
his own, two miles from Rome. 

XXVII. Eutychianus, a Tuscan, a man 
exceedingly careful of the burial of martyrs j 
after one year's space, was himself crowned 
with martyrdom : Eusebius allows him but 
eight months t Onuphrius eight years a,nd six 
months. 

XXVIII. Caius, or, as Eusebius calls him, 
Gaianus, a Dalmatian, kinsman to the empe- 
ror Dioclesian, and in the persecution imder 
him, became a martyr. He sat eleven years 4 
some say longer : Eusebius, fifteen years. He 
was beheaded, and buried in Callistus's ce- 
metery. 

XXIX. Marcellinus, a Roiioan : through : 
fear of torment he sacrificed to the Gods ; but 
recovering himself, died a martyr, after he had 
sat eight or nine years. He was beheaded,, 
and buried in the cemetery of Priscilla, in tile 
Salarian Way. To him succeeded 

XXX. , Marcellus, a Roman ; he, was con« 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES. 



37t 



tlemned by Maxentius the tyrant, to keep 
beasts in a stable, which he performed, yet 
without omitting his prayers and exercises of 
devotion. He died after five }'cars and six 
months, and was buried in the cemetery of 
Priscilla. 

XXXI. Eusebius, a Greek, was the son of 
a physician : he suffered much under the ty- 
ranny of Maxentius. He sat six years, say 
some ; four, say others ; though Eusebius al- 
lows him but seven months : Onuphrius one 
year and seven months. He was buried in the 
Appian Way, near Callistus's cemetery. 



XXXI I. Miltiades, an African : he might 
probably be a confessor under Maxentius, but 
could not be a martyr under Maximinus, as 
some report him. He sat three or lour, though 
others assign him but two years ; and was 
buried in the cemetery of Callistus. 

XXXIII. Sylvester a Roman : he was elect- 
ed into the place, A. D. three hundred and four- 
teen, and fetched from tlie mountain Soracte, 
whither he had fled for fear of persecution. He 
was highly in favour withConstiuitine the Great. 
He sat twenty -three, Nicephorus says, twent}-- 
eight years. 



THE CHURCH AT JERUSALEM, IN JUDEA, 



IT may with some degree of truth be affirm- 
ed, that the church of Jerusalem was found- 
ed by our Lord himself, as it was for some 
time cultivated and impro\'ed by the ministry 
of the whole college of apostles. Tlic bish- 
ops of it succeeded in the following order : 

I. St. James tlie Less, the brother of our 
Lord, by him, say some, immediately consti- 
tuted bishop ; but as others, more probably, 
)by the apostles : he was tlirown off the temple, 
and liis brains beat out witli a fuller's club. 

II. Simeon, the son of Cleophas, brother 
to Joseph, our Lord's reputed father ; he sat 
in this chair twenty-three yeai's, and suffered 
martyrdom in the reign of Trajan, in the one 
hundred and twentieth year of his age. 

III. Justus succeeded in his room, and sat 
six years. 

IV. Zacheus, or, as Nicephorus the patri- 
arch calls him, Zacharias, four. 

V. Tobias : to him, alter four years, suc- 
ceeded 

VI. Benjamin, who sat two years. 

VII. John, who continued the same space. 

VIII. Mattiiias, or Matthaeus, two years. 

IX. PhiHppus, one year : next came 

X. Seneca, who sat four yeai's. 

XI. Justus, four. 

XII. Levi, or Lebes, two. 

XIII. Ephrem, or Ephres, or as Epiphanius 
styles him, Vapres, two. 

XIV. Joseph, two. 

XV. Judas, two. We may observe, that 
most of these bishops governed the church but 



a short time, following one another with, a very' 
quick succession ; which, doubdess, was in a 
great measure owing to the turbulent and un- 
quiet humoiu- of the Jewish nation, frequehtly 
rebelling against the Roman powers, \vhereb\- 
they provoked them to fall heavy upon them, 
and cut off all that came in their way, making 
no distinction between Jews and Christians ; as 
indeed they were all Jews, though differing in 
the rites of their religion : for hitherto the bish- 
ops of Jerusalem had successively been of the 
circumcision, the church there having been 
entirely made up of Jewish converts ; but 
Jerusalem being no^v utterly laid waste, and 
the Jews dispersed into all other countries, the 
Gentiles were admitted not only into the body 
of that church, but even in the episcopal chair . 
They are ranged in the following order : 

XVI. Marcus, who sat eight years. 

XVIL Cassianus, eight. 

XVIII. Publus, five. 

XIX. Maxiraus, four. 

XX. Julianus, two. 

XXI. Caianus, tliree. 

XXII. Symmachus, two. 

XXIII. Caius, three. 

XXIV. Juliaims, four. 

XXY. Elias, two. We do not find this 
bishop mentioned by Eusebius ; but he is re 
corded by Nicephorus of Constantinople. 

XXV'l. Capito, four. 

XXVII. Maximus, four. 

XXVIII. Antoninus, five. 

XXIX. Valens, three. 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



'XXX. Dulichianus, two. 

XXXI. Narcissus, four. He was a man of 
eminent piety, famous for the great miracles 
which he wrought ; but not being able to bear 
the aspersions \\ hich some unjustly cast upon 
him (though God signally and miraculously 
vindicated his innocency) he left his church, 
and retired into desarts and solitary places. In 
his absence was chosen 

XXXII. Dius, who sat eight years. After 
him, 

XXXIII. Germanio, four. 

XXXIV. Gordius, five. In his time Nar- 
cissus, as one from the dead, returned from his 
place of retirement, and was importuned by 
the people again to take the government of the 
«hurch upon him ; being highly reverenced by 
them, both for his strict and philosophical 
course of life, and the signal vengeance which 
God took of his accusers : and in this second 
administration he continued ten years, suffer- 



ing martyrdom v^ hen he ^^ as near an hundred 
and twenty years old. To relieve the infirmi- 
ties of his great age, they took in to be his 
colleague 

XXXV. Alexander, formerly bishop in 
Cappadocia : he was an eminent confessor, and 
after having sat fifteen years, died in prison, 
vmder the Decian persecution. 

XXXVI. Mazabancs, nine years. 

XXXVII. Hymenseus, twenty-three. 

XXXVIII. Zabdas, ten. 

XXXIX. Hermon,nine. Hew-as, as Eu- 
sebius tells us, the last bishop of his see before 
that fatal persecution that raged even in his 
time. 

XL. Macarius, ordained A. D. three hun- 
dred and fifteen : he ^vas present in the great 
Nicene council. He sat, says Nicephorus of 
Constantinople, twenty years ; but St. Jerom 
allows him to have continued a much longer 
time in the government of the church. 



THE CHURCH AT CONSTANTINOPLE, 

ANCIENTLY CALLED BYZANTIUM. 



IT cannot be doubted that this church was 
first founded by St. Andrew. The suc- 
cession of its bishops was as follows : 

I. St. Andrew the apostle. He was cruci- 
€ed at PaU-ae in Achaia. 

II. Stachys, whom St. Paul calls his belov- 
ed Stachys, ordained bishop by St. Andrew : 
he sat sixteen years. 

III. Onesimus, fourteen. 

IV. Polycarpus, seventeen. 
"V. Plutarchus, sixteen. 

VI. Sedecio, nine. 

VII. Diogenes, fifteen. Of the last three 
no mention is made in Nicephorus of Constan- 
tinople, but they are delivered by Nicephorus 
Callistus, lib. viii. c. 6. p. 540, 

VIII. Eleutheris, seven. 

IX. Felix, five. 

X. Polycarpus, seventeen. 

XI. Athenodorus, four. Heerected a church 
called Elea, afterv^^ards much beautified and 
enlarged by Constantine the Great. 

XII. Euzoius, sixteen. Though Nicepho- 
rus Callistus allows but six. 



XIII. Laurentius, eleven years and six 
months. 

XIV. Alypius, thirteen. 

XV. Pertinax, a man of consular dignity : 
he built another church near the sea- side, 
which he called Peace. He sat nineteen years, 
which Nicephorus Callistus reduces to nine. 

XVI. Olympiainis, eleven, 

XVII. Marcus, thirteen. 

XVIII. Cyriacus, or Cyrillianus, sixteen. 

XIX. Constantinus, seven. In the first 
year of his bishopric, he built a church in the 
north part of the city, which he dedicated to 
the honovrr of Euphemia the martyr, who had 
suffered in that place. In this oratory he spent 
the remainder of his life, quitting his episco- 
pal chair to 

XX. Titus, who sat thirty-five years and 
six months ; though Nicephorus Callistus 
mtikes it thirty-seven years. After him came 

XXI. Dometius, brother (as they tell us) to 
the emperor Probus. He was bishop twenty- 
one years and six months. 



AND LIVES OF HIS APOSTLES,. 



37:. 



XXII. Probus succeeded his father Dome- 
tius, and sat tweh e years ; as after him, 

XXIII. Metrophanes his brother, "vvho go- 
verned that churcii ten years. And in his 
time it was that Constantine translated the im- 
perial court hither, enlarged and adorned it, 



ECCLESIASTICAL writers affirm, that I 
the fourdutions of this church were laid, 
and a great part 01 its superstructure raised, 
by St. Mark ; ^ho, though not sti-ictl}- and 
properly an aposde, yet being an apostle at 
large, and immediately commissionated by St. 
Peter, it justly obtained the honour of an apos- 
tolical church. Its bishops and governors are 
thus set down : 

I. St. >Iark the evangelist, of whose travels 
and mart}Tdom we have spoken in his Ufe. 
He sat two years. 

II. Anianus, characterized by Eusebius, 
•* A man beloved of God, and admirable in 
all things." He sat twenty-two years. 

III. A^iiius, twelve ; or, as Eusebius, thir- 
teen. 

IV. Cerdo, who succeeded about the first 
year of Trajan. He sat ten years ; according 
to Eusebius, eleven. 

V. Primus, twelve. 

VI. Justus, or Justuius, ten, 

VII. Eumenes, ten ; or, as Eusebius, thir- 
teen : St. Jerom, in his translation, calls him 
Hymenceus. 

VIII. Marcus, or Marcianus, thirteen ; or, 
as Eusebius, ten. 

IX. Celadion, ten; but_, in Eusebius's com- 
putation, fourteen, 

X. Agrippinus, fourteen ; according to Eu- 
sebius, twelve. 

XI. Julianus, fifteen ; though Eusebius al- 
lows but ten. 

XII. Demetrius, twent}'-one ; according to 
Eusebius fort}--three years. 

XIU. Heraclas, a man of a philosophical 



cidled it after his own name, and made it thr 
seat of the empire. 

XXIV. Alexander succeeded : he was u 
man of great piety and integrity, zealous and 
constant in maintaining tlie truth agamst the 
blasphemies of Arius. He sat twcnt) -thrc* 
years. 



genius and way of life. He sat sixteen years ; 
though Kicephorus of Constantinople, by a 
mistake, we suppose, makes it fort)--three. 

XIV. Dionysius, seventeen. He was one 
of the most eminent bishops of his time; He 
died in the twelfth year of tlie emperor Gal- 
lienus. 

XY. Maximus, Of a presbyter he wai> 
made bishop of Alexandria. He sat in that 
chair eighteen years, according to Eusebius's 
computation ; though Nicephorus of Constan- 
tmople assigns him but eight. 

XVI. Theonas, seventeen ; or, according 
to St. Jerom's version of Eusebius, nineteen. 
To hun succeeded 

XVII. Petrus, twelve. He began liis office 
three years before the last persecution. A 
man of infinite strictness and accuracy, and of 
indefatigable industry for the good of the 
church. He suffered in the ninth year of the 
persecution, gaining the cro^\"n of martyrdom 
with the loss of his head. 

XVIII. Achillas, nine ; though Nicephorus 
of Constantinople allows him but one vear. 
By him Arius, upon his submission, was or- 
dained presbyter. 

XIX. Alexander, twenty -three. Under him 
Arius began more openly to broach his heresy 
.it Alexandria, who was thereupon justly ex-, 
communicated and thrust out by Alexander, 
and shordy after condemned by the fathers of 
the council of Nice. Nevenheless, his abo- 
minable tenets have infected the church, more 
or less, to the present day, and a^c openly 
avowed bv the enemies of the gospel of Jzsus, 
who is God over all, blessed for ever. A m e v . 



THE CHURCH AT ALEXANDRIA, IN EGYPT. 



No. 16. 



374 tltZ OF JESUS CHRIST 

THE 

EVIDENCES 

UPON WHICH ' 

CHRISTIANITY IS FOUNDED , 

INCLUDING 

A COMPLETE DEFENCE OF CHRISTIANITY, 

TOGETHER WITH 

Plain and Satisfactory Answers to all objections made agai?ist our Holy RcUgioih^ 

BY 

JEWS, ATHEISTS, DEISTS, INFIDELS, FREE-THINKERS, &c. &c. 



AMONGST other undoubted authorities 
concerning our Saviour and his mira- 
cles, extant amongst Pagan Writers, the parti- 
culars which follow, are all attested by some 
one or other of those Heathen authors, who 
lived in or near the age of our Saviour and his 
disciples. 

" That Augustus Cassar had ordered the 
whole empire to be censed or taxed," which 
brought our Saviour's reputed parents to Beth- 
lehem : this is mentioned by several Roman 
historians, as Tacitus, Suetonius, and Dion. 
" That a great light, or a new star appeared in 
the East, which directed the wise men to our Sa- 
A'iour : ' ' this is recorded by Chalcidius. ' ' That 
I^erod the king of Palestine, so often mentioned 
in the Roman history, made a great slaughter 
of innocent children," being so jealous of his 
successor, that he put to death his own sons on 
that account ; this character of him is given by 
several historians, and this cruel fact mentioned 
by Macrobius, a Heathen author, v/ho tells it 
as a known thing, without any mark or doubt 
upon it. " That our Saviour had been in Egypt: " 
this Celsus, though he raises a monstrous sto- 
ry upon it, is so far from denying, that he tells 
us, our Saviour learned the arts of made in 
that country. "That Pontius Pilate was gov- 
ernor of Judea ; that our Saviour was brought 
in judgment before him, and by him condemned 
and crucified :" this is recorded by Tacitus. 

That many miraculous cures and works, out 
of the ordinary course of nature, were wrought 
by him : " this is confessed by Julian the apos- 
tate. Porphyry, and Hierocles, all of them not 
©nly Pagans, but professed enemies and per- 
secutors of Christianity. *' That our Saviour 



foretold several things which came to pass, ac- 
cording to his predictions :" this was attested 
by Phlegon, in his annals, as we are assured 
by the learned Origen, against Celfus. ' ' That 
at the time when our Saviour died, there was a 
miraculous darkness, and a great earthquake : " 
this is recorded by the same Phlegon, the Tral- 
lian, who was likewise a Pagan, and freeman 
to Adrian the emperor. We may here observe, 
that a native of Trallium, which was not situ- 
ate at so great a distance from Palestine, might 
very probably be informed of such remarkable 
events as had passed amongst the Jews, in the 
age immediately preceding his own times, 
since several of his countrymen,, with whom he 
had con\ ersed, might have received a confus- 
ed report of our Saviour, before his crucifix- 
ion, and probably lived within the shake of the 
earthquake, and the shadow of the eclipse,^ 
which are recorded by this author. " That 
Chr 1ST was worshipped as a God, amongst the 
Christians ; that they would rather suSer death 
than blaspheme him : that they received a sa- 
crament, and by it entered into a \q\v of ab- 
staining from sin and wickedness," confor- 
mable to the advice given by St.. Paul : " dnat 
they had private assemblies of v/orship, and 
used to join together in hymns :" this i^ the 
account which Pliny the younger, gives of 
Christianity in his days, about seventy years 
after the death of Christ, and which agrees 
in all its circumstances, with tljpe accounts we 
have in holy writ, of the first state of Christian- 
ity, after the crucifixion of our blessed Saviour. 
"'That St. Peter, whose miracles are many of 
them recorded m holy writ, did many wonder- 
ful works," is owned by Julian tlie apostate. 



AND LIVES OF 



HIS APOSTLES. 



who therefore represents him as a great magi- 
cian, and one who had in his possession a book 
of magical secrets, left him by our Saviour.,.. 
'* That the devils or evil spirits were subject 
to them," we may learn from Porphyry, who 
objects to Christianity, that since Jesus had be- 
gun to be worshipped, iEsculapius and the rest 
of the gods did no more converse with men : 
nay, Celsus himself aflirms the same thing in ef- 
fect, when he says, that the power which seem- 
ed to reside in Christians, proceeded from the 
use of certain names, and the invocation of 
certain daemons. Origen remarks on this pas- 
sage, that the author doubtless hints at those 
Christians who put to flight evil spirits, and 
healed those who were possessed with them ; a 
fact which had been often seen, and which he 
himself had seen, as he declares in another part 
of his discourse against Celsus. But, the 
same time, he assures us, that this miraculous 
power was exerted by the use of no other name 
but that of Jesus, to which were added several 
passages in his history, but nothing like any in- 
vocation to daemons. 

Celsus was so hard set with the report of our 
Saviour's miracles, and the confident attesta- 
tions concerninrc him, that thour^h he often in- 
timates he did not believe them to be true, yet 
knowing he might be silenced in such an an- 
swer, provides himself with another retreat, 
Avhen beaten out of this, namely, that our Sa- 
N'iour was a magician. Thus he compares the 
feeding of so mmy thousands, at two different 
times, with a few loaves and fishes, to the magi- 
cal feasts of those Egyptian impostors, who 
would present their spectators with visionary 
entertainments, that had in them neither sub- 
stance nor reality : \\hich, by the way, is to 
suppose, that an hu ngrj- and fainting iiiultitude 
were filled by an appai'ition, or strengthened 
and refreshed with shadows. 

The unconverted heathens, who were press- 
ed by the many authorities that confirmed our 
Saviour's miracles, as well as the unbelieving 
Jews, who had actually seen tlicm, were driven 
to account for them after the same manner ; 
for, to work by magic, in the heathen way of 
speaking, was, in the language of the Jews, to 
east out devils by Belzebub, the prince of the 
devils. Our S-iviour, who knew that unbe- 
lievers in all ages, would put this perverse in- 
terpretation on his miracles, has branded ijie I 
malignity of tiiose men, who, contrary to the j 



dictates of their own hearts, started such an 
unreasonable objection, as a blasphemy against 
the Holy Ghost, and declared not only the guilt, 
but the punishment ol" so black a crime. At 
the same time, he condescended to shew the 
vanity and emptiness of this ol;jfction against 
his miracles, by representing, ikit they evi- 
dently tended to the destruction of those pow- 
ers, to whose assistance the enemies of his doc., 
trine then ascriljcd them. An argument, 
which if duly weighed, renders the objection 
so very frivolous and groundless, that we may 
venture to call it even blasphemy against com- 
mon sense. It would be absurd to imagine, that 
evil spirits would enter into a combination \v ith 
our Saviour, to cut off" all their correspondence 
and intercourse with mankind, and to pre\'ent 
any for the future from addicting themseh es to 
those rites and ceremonies, which had done them 
so much honour. We see the early effect which 
Christianity had on the minds of men in this par- 
ticular, by that number of books \\ hich were 
filled with the secrets of magic, and made a 
sacrifice to Christianity, by the converts men* 
tioned in the Acts of the apostles. 

We have likewise an eminent instance of 
the inconsistency of our religion v\ ith magic, 
in the histor}- of the famous A(|uila. This per- 
son, who was a kinsman of the emperor Tra- 
jan, and likewise a man of great learning, not- 
withstanding he hud embraced Christianity, 
could not be brought off from the studies of 
magic, by the repeated admonitions of his fcl- 
low-Clu'istians ; so that at length they expelled 
him their society, as rather chcjosing to lose 
the reputation of so considerable a proselj te, 
than communicate with one who dealt in such 
dark and infernal practices. Besides, we may 
observe, that all the faA Ourers of magic, w ere 
the most professed and bitter enemies to the 
Christian religion : not to mention Simon Ma- 
gus, and many others, we shall only take notice 
of those two great persecutors of Christianit}-, 
the emperors Adrian, and Julian the apostate, 
I)oth of them initiated in the mysteries ot di\ i- 
nation, aixl skilled in iUl the depths of magic. 
We shall only add, that evil spirits ciinnot be 
supposed to have concurred in the establish- 
ment of a religion, which triumphed o\er tliem, 
di-ove them out of the places they possessed, 
and divested them of their lahuence on man- 
kind; nor would we mtr.iion this p>ardcular, 
tiiough it be un.mimousi}" re\)Oi"ted by ail the 



376 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



ancient Christian authors, did it not appear 
from the authorities above cited, that this was 
a fact confessed by Heathens themselves^ 

When a man is born under Christian parents, 
and trained up in the profession of that religion 
from a child, he generally guides himself by the 
rules of the Christian faith, in believing what 
is delivered by the evangelists ; but the learn- 
ed Pagans of Antiquity, before they became 
Christians, were only guided by the common 
rules of historical faith : that is, they examined 
the nature of the evidence which was to be met 
with in common fame, tradition, and the writ- 
ings of those persons who related them, togeth- 
er with the number, concurrence, veracity, and 
private characters of those persons ; and being 
convinced upon all accounts, that they had the 
same reason to believe the history of our Savi- 
our, as that of imy other person to which they 
themselves were not actually eye-witnesses, 
they were bound by all the rules of historical 
faith, and of right reason, to give credit to this 
history. This they did accordingly, and, in 
consequence of it, published the same truths 
themselves, sulFered many afflictions, and very 
often death itself, in the assertion of them. But 
while we affirm, an historical belief of the acts 
of our Saviour might induce these learned Pa- 
gans to embrace his doctrine, we do not deny 
that there were many other motives, which 
conduced to it, as the excellency of his pre- 
cepts, the fulfilling of prophecies, the miracles 
of his disciples, the irreproachable lives and 
magnanimous sufferings of their followers, with 
other considerations of the same nature : but 
A^'hatever other collateral arguments wrought 
more or less with philosophers of that age, it 
is certain, that a belief in the history of our Sa- 
viour v.'as one motive with every new convert, 
and that upon which all others turned, as being 
the v»ry basis and foundation of Christianity, 

A learned man of our nation, who examined 
the witings of our most ancient fathers, refers 
to several passages in Irenjeus, Tertullian, 
Clemens of Alexandria, Origen and Cyprian, 
by which he plainly shews, that each of these 
eai"ly writers ascribe to the four evangelists by 
name their respective histories ; so that there 
is not the least room for doubting of their be- 
lief in the history of our Saviour, as recorded 
in the gospels. We shall only add, that three 
of the five fathers here mentioned, and proba- 
bly four, were Pagans converted to Christi- 
anitj^, as tliey were all of diem very inquisitive 



j and deep in the knowledge of Heathen learning 
and philosophy. 

It happened ver\- providentially to the hon- 
our of the Christian religion, that it did not, 
take its rise in the dark illiterate ages of the 
world, but at a time when arts and sciences 
were at their height, and when there were men 
who made it the business of their lives to search 
after truth, and sift the several opinions of philo- 
sophers and wise men, concerning the duty, 
the end, and chief happiness of reasonable crea- 
tures. 

Several of these therefore, M hen they had^^ 
informed themselves of our Saviour's history, 
and examined with unprejudiced minds the 
doctrines and manners of his disciples and fol- 
lowers, were so struck and convinced, that they 
professed themselves of that sect 5 notwith- 
standing, by this profession in that juncture of 
time, they bid farewell to all the pleasures of 
this life, renounced all the views of ambition, 
engaged in an uninterrupted course of severi- 
ties, and exposed themselves to public hatred 
and contempt, to sufferings of all kinds, and to 
death itself. Of this sort we may reckon those 
three eady converts to Christianity, who each 
of them was a member of a senate famous for 
its wisdom and learning. Joseph the Arima- 
thean, was of the Jev/ish Sanhedrim : Dionysius, 
of the Athenian Areopagus ; and Flavins Cle- 
mens, of the Roman senate ; nay, at the time 
of his death, consul of Rome, 

Tertullian tells the Roman governors, that 
their corporations, councils, armies, tribes, 
companies, the palace, senate, and courts of ju- 
dicature were filled with Christians ; as Ar- 
nobius asserts, that men of the finest parts and 
learning, orators, grammarians, rhetoricians^ 
lawyers, physicians, philosophers, despising the 
sentiments they had been once fond of, took up 
their rest in the Christian religion j and who can 
imagine, that men of this character did not 
thoroughly inform themselves of the history of 
that person whose doctrines they embraced ? 

Besides hmumerable authors that are lost, 
we have the undoubted names of works, or 
fragments of several Pagan philosophers, which 
shew them to have been as learned as anj' un- 
converted Heathen authors of the age in which 
they lived. If we look into the greatest nur- 
series of learning in those ages of the world, 
we find in Athens, Dionysius, Quadiatus, Aris- 
tides, and Athenagoras ;and in Alexandria, Di- 
onysius, Clemens, Ammonias, and Antoiius, 



AND LIVES OF HIS AIOSTLESj. 



$0 whorft we may add Origen ; for though his 
fedier was a Christian mart}T, he became, with- 
out all contiovcrsy, the most learned and able 
^ philosopher of his nge, by his education at Alex- 
andria, in that famous seminary of arts and eci- 
: enccs. 

Heathens of every age, sex, and quality, born 
in the most different climates, and bred up un- 
der the most different institutions, when they 
saw men of plain sense, without the help of 
karning, armed ^vith patience and courage, in- 
stead of wealth, pomp, or power, expressing 
in their lives those excellent doctrines of mora- 
lity, which they taught as delivered to them 
from our Saviour, averring that they had seen 
his miracles during his life, and conversed with 
him after his death ; when they saw no suspi- 
' i cion of falsehood, treachery, or worldly inter- 
est, in their behaviour and conversation, and 
that they submitted to the most ignominious 
. and cruel deaths, rather than retract their testi- 
mony, or even be silent in matters which they 
were to publish by their Saviour's especial 
«ommand, there was no reason to doubt of the 
I veracity of those facts which they related, or of 
j the divine mission in which they were employ- 
ed. 

( A few persons of an odious and despised 
country, could not have filled the world with 
believers, had they not shewn undoubted cre- 

i dentials from the divine Person who sent them 
; on such a message. Accordingly, we are as- 
1 sured, that they were mvested with the power of 

working miracles, which was the most short and 
the most convincing argument that could be pro- 
duced, and the only one that wds adapted to the 
reason of all mankind, to the capacities of the 
wise and ignorant, and could overcome every 
cavil and every prejudice. Who would not 
believe that our Saviour healed the sick and 
raised the dead, when it was published by those 

ii who themselves often did the same miracles, in 
j their presence, and in his name ? Could any 
; reasonable person imagine, that God Almighty 

would arm men with such powers to authorize 
a lie, and establish a religion in the world which 
I was displeasing to him, or that evil spirits would 
lend them such an effectual assistance to beat 
down vice and idolatry ? 

When the apostles had formed many assem- 
blies in several parts of tht Pagan world, who 
gave credit to the glad tidings of the gospel, 
' that upon their departure, the riiemory of what 
\xhcy had related iiiigla not perisii, iiicy appoint- 

,^0. 15. 4 



ed out of these nc\^ convcttk, nico of the best 
sense, and of the most unblemished livc«, to 
preside over these several assemblies, and to 
inculcate, without ceasing, what they had hcar^ 
from the mouths of these ej e-witncsscs. 

The succession of bishops was cjuick in the 
three first centuries, because the bishop vcrj' 
often ended in the martyr : for when a persecu- 
tion arose in any place, the first fur}- of it fell 
upon this order of holy men, who abun».bnUy 
testified by their deaths and sufferings, that they 
did not undertake these offices out of any tem- 
poral views, that they were sincere and satis- 
fied in tlie belief of what they taught, and that 
they firmly adhered to what they had recei\ ed 
from the apostles, as laying down their lives in 
the same hope, and upon the same principles. 
None can be supposed so utterly regardless of 
their own happiness, as to expire in torment, 
and hazard their eternity, to support any fables 
and inventions of their own, or any forgeries 
of their predecessors, who had presided in the 
same church, and which might have been easily 
detected by the tradition of that particular 
church, as well as by the concurring testimony 
of others. To this purpose, we think it is ve- 
ry remarkable, that there was not a single mar- 
tyr amongst those many Heretics, w ho disa- 
greed with the apostolical church, and intro- 
duced several wild and absurd notions into the 
doctrines of Christianity. They durst not 
stake tlieir present and future happiness on 
their own chimerical imaginations, and did not 
only shmi persecution, but affirmed diat it \A as 
unnecessary for their follo\\ers to hear their 
religion through such fiery trials. 

Amongst the accounts of those xery few, out 
of innumerable multitudes who had embract-d 
Christianity, we shidl single out four persons, 
emuient for their lives, their \\ } kings and their 
sufferings, that were successiv ely cotempora- 
ries, and bring us down as fiu-as to the year of 
our Lord 254. St. John, Mho was the belov- 
ed disciple, and conv-ersed the most intimately 
with our Saviour, Wvcd till A. D. 100. Poly- 
carp, who was the disciple of St. John, and 
had conversed with others of the apostles and 
disciples of our Lord, lived till A. D. 167, 
though his life Avas shortened by mart} rdom. 
Irenasus, who was the discij)le of Polycarp, and 
had conversed with many of tlje immediate dis- 
ciples of tlie apostles, lived, at the lowest com- 
putation of his age, till the yeai* 202, w hen he 
was likewliie cutoff by martyrdom ; in which 

Y 



-378 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 



year the great Origen was appointed regent of 
the catechetic school in Alexandria, and as he 
was the miracle of that age, for industry, learn- 
ing, and philosophy, he was looked on as the 
champion of Christianity, till the year 254, 
when, if he did not suffer martyrdom, as some 
think he did, he was certainly actuated by the 
spirit of it, as appears in the whole course of 
his life and writings ; nay, he had often been 
put to the torture, and had undergone trials 
worse tlian death. 

The Christians, who carried their religion 
through so many general and particular perse- 
cutions, were incessantly comforting and sup- 
porting one another with the example and his- 
tory of our Saviour and his apostles : it was the 
subject not only of their solemn assemblies, 
but of their private visits and conversations.... 
" Our virgins," says Tatain, who lived in the 
second century, *' discourse over their dis- 
tafts on divine subjects." Indeed, when reli- 
gion was woven into the civil government, and 
flourished under the protection of the empe- 
rors, men's thoughts and discourses were, as 
the}^ are now, full of secular affairs ; but in the 
three first centuries of Christianity, men, who 
embraced this religion, had given up all their 
Interests in this world, and lived in a perpetual 
p^reparation for the next, as not knowing how 
soon they might be called to it : so that tiiey 
had little else to talk of but the life and doc- 
trines of that divine Person, which was their 
hope, their encouragement, and their glory. 

We cannot imagine, that there was a single 
person arrived at any degree of age or consi- 
deration, who had not heard and repeated above 
a thousand tim^es in his life, all the particulars 
of our Saviour's birth, life, death, resurrec- 
tion, and ascension ; especially if we consider, 
tliat they could not then be received as Chris- 
li&m, till they had undergone several exami- 
nations. Persons of riper years, who flocked 
daily into the church during the three first cen- 
turies, were obliged to pass through many re- 
peated instructions, and give a strict account 
of their proficiency, before they were admit- 
ted to baptism. And as for those who were 
born of Christian parents, and had been bap- 
tized in their infancy, they were, with the like 
eare, prepared and disciplined for confirmation, 
wliich they could not arrive at, till they v\ere 
found upon examination, to have made a sufiici- 
cnt progress in the knowledge of Christianity* 

We must further observe, that there was not 



only in those times this religious conversation 
amongst private Christians, but a constant cor- 
respondence between the churches that were 
established by the apostles or their successors, 
in the several parts of the world. If any new 
doctrine was started, or any fact reported of 
our Saviour, a strict inquiry was made amongst 
the churches, especially those planted by the 
apostles themselves, whether they had receiv* 
ed any such doctrine or accourit of our Sa- 
viour, from the mouths of the apostles, or the 
tradition of those Christians who had preceded 
the present members of the churches, which 
were thus consulted. By this means, when 
any novelty was published, it was immediately 
detected and censured. 

St. John, who lived so many years after our 
Saviour, was appealed to in those emergen- 
cies, as the living oracle of the church ; and 
as his oral testimony lasted the first century^ 
many have observed that, by a particular pro- 
vidence of God, several of our Saviour's dis- 
ciples, and of the early converts of his religion, 
lived to a very great age, that thej^ might per- 
sonally convey the truth of the gospel to those 
times, which were very remote from the first 
publication of it. Of these, besides St. John, 
we have a remarkable instance in Simeon, who 
was one of the seventy sent forth by our saviour, 
to publish the gospel before his crucifixion, and 
a near kinsman to our Lord. 

This venerable person, who had probably 
heard with his own ears, our Saviour's pro- 
phecy of the destruction of Jeiaisalem, presided 
over the church established in that city, during 
the time of its memorable siege, and drew his 
congregation out of those dreadful and unpa- 
rallelled calamities which befel his country- 
men, by following the advice our Saviour had 
given, when they should see Jerusalerti encom- 
passed with armies, and the Roman standards, 
or abomination of desolation, set up. He lived 
till the year of our Lord 107, when he was 
martyred under the emperor Trajan. 

Irenaeus very aptly remarks, that those bar- 
barous nations, who in his time v/ere not pos- 
sessed of the written gospels, and had only 
learned the history of our Saviour from those 
who had converted them to Christianity before' 
the gospels were written, had amongst them 
the same accounts of our Saviour, which are to 
be met with in the four evangelists ; an incon^ 
testable proof of the harmony and concurrence 
between the Holy Scriptiu-e and the tradition c£ 



AND LIVES OF 

the churches in those early times of Christian- 
ity. Thus we see what opportunities the learn- 
ed and inquisitive Heathens had of informing 
themselves of the truth of our Saviour's history, 
during the three first centuries, especially as 
they lay nearer one than another to the foun- 
tain-head ; besides which, there were many 
uncontroverted traditions, records of Christian- 
it}", and particuku" histories, that then threw 
light into these matters, but are now entirely 
lost. 

We cannot omit that which appears to us a 
standing miracle in the three first centuries, 
namely, that amazing and supernatural cou- 
rage or patience which \\ais shewn by innume- 
rable multitudes of martyrs, in those slow and 
painful torments that were inflicted on them. 
We cannot conceive a man placed in the burn- 
ing iron chair at Lyons, amidst the insults and 
mockeries of a crowded amphitheatre, and still 
keeping his seat ; or stretched upon a grate of 
iron, over coals of fire, and breathing out his 
soul amongst the exquisite sufterings of such a 
tedious execution, rather than renounce his re- 
ligion, or blaspheme his Saviour. Such trials 
seem to us abo\'e the strength of human nature, 
and able to overbear duty, reason, faith, con- 
viction, nay, and the most absolute certainty 
of a future state. Humanity unassisted in an 
extraordinaiT manner, must have shaken off 
the present pressure, and ha^ e deli\ ered itself 
out of such a dreadful distress, by any means 
that could have been suggested to it. ^^'e can 
easily imagine, that inany persons, in so good 
a cause, might have laid down their lives at 
the gibbet, the stake, or the block : but to ex- 
pire leisurely amongst the most exquisite tor- 
tures, when the}- might come out of them, even 
by a mental reservation, or an hypocrisy, which 
was not without a possibility of being followed 
by repentance and forgiveness, has somediing 
in it so far beyond the force and natural sti'ength 
of mortals, that one cannot but think there 
was some miraculous pov. er to support the 
sufferer. 

We find the church of Smyrna, in that ad- 
mirable letter \vhich gives an account of the 
deadi of Polycarp their beloved bishop, men- 
tioning the cruel torments of other early mar- 
tyrs for Christianit}-, are of opinion, that our 
Saviour stood by them in a vision, and person- 
ally conversed with them, to gi\e them strength 
and comfort during die bitterness of their long- 
continued agonies ; and we have tlie story ot 



HIS APOSTLES. 379 

a young man, who, ha^'ihg suffered many tor- 
tures, escaped w ith life, and told his feliow- 
christians, that the pain of them had been ren- 
dered tolerable, by the presence of an angel 
w ho stood by him, and wiped off the tears and 
sweat, w hich ran down his face whilst he lay 
under his sufferings. We are assured, at least, 
that the first martyr for Christianity was encou- 
raged in his last moments, by a vision of tliat 
divine Person, for whom he suffered, and into 
whose presence he was then hastening. 

It is certain, that the deaths and sufferings 
of the primiti\ e Christians had a great share 
in the conversion of those learned Pagans, w ho 
lived in the ages of persecution, which, with 
some intei \"als and abatements, lasted near three 
hundred years after our Saviour. Justin \Lir- 
tyr, Tertullian, Lactantius, Arnobius, iuid 
others, tell us, that this first of all alarmed 
their curiosity, roused their attention, and made 
them seriously inquisitive into the nature of 
that rehgion, M hich could endue the mind w ith 
so much strength, and overcome the fear of. 
death, nay, raise an earnest desire of it, thougli 
it appeared in all its terrors. This they found 
had not been effected by all the doctrines of 
those philosophers, whom they had thoroughlv 
studied, and who had been labouring at this 
gi'eat point. The sight of these dying and 
tormented mmtyrs, engaged them to search 
into the history and doctrines of him for w horn 
they suffered. The more they searched, the 
more they were convinced ; till their conxdc- 
tion grew so strong, that they themseh'es em- 
braced die same truths, and either actually laid 
down dieir lives, or were alwa} s in a readiness 
to do it, rather than depart from them. 

There are predictions of our SaA'iour record- 
ed by die evangelists, which were jiot com- 
pleted till aftor their deaths, and had no likeli- 
hood of being so, vrhen they were pronounced 
bv our blessed Sa^•iour. Such was that won- 
derful notice he ga\'e diem, that they should 
be brought before governors and kings for his 
sake, for a testimony against them and the 
Gentiles, Mat. x. 18. with the odier like pro- 
'.^hecies, by which he foretold that his disci-- 
ples were to be persecuted. 

Origen insists with great strength, on that 
wonderful prediction of our Saviour concern- 
ing the destruction of Jerus:ilem, pronounced 
at a time, as he observes, w hen thei e was no 
likelihood nor appearance of it. This has been 
taken notice of ajid inculcated by so maiiy 



580 



LIFE OF JEStJS CHRIST, Scc: 



6thers, that we shall refer you to what this fa- 
ther has said on the subject in his first book 
ag-ainst Celsus. And as to the accomplish- 
ment of this remarkable prophecy, shall only 
observe, that whoever reads the account given 
us by Josephus, without knowing liis charac- 
ter, and compares it with what our Saviour 
foretold, would think the historian had been a 
Christian, and that he had nothing else in view 
but to adjust the event to the prediction. 

The ancient Christians were so entirely per- 
suaded of the force of our Saviour's prophe- 
cies, and of the punishment which the Jews 
had drav\ii upon themselves, and upon their 
children, for the treatment w^hich the Messiah 
had received at their hands, that they did not 
doubt but they would always remain an aban- 
doned and dispersed people, an hissing and an 
astonishment amongst the nations, as they are 
to this day. In short, that they had lost their 
peculiarity of being God's people, which was 
now transferred to the body of Christians, and 
"which preserved the church of Christ amongst 
all tlie conflicts, difficulties, and persecutions, 
in which it was engaged, as it had preserved 
the Jewish government and economy for so 
many ages, whilst it had the same truth and 
vital principle in it, notvi^ithstanding it was so 
frequently in danger of being utterly abolished 
and destroyed. Origen, in his fourth book 
against Celsus, mentioning their being cast 
out of Jerusalem, the place to which their wor- 
ship was annexed, deprived of their temple 
and sacrifice, their religious rites and solemni- 
ties, and scattered over the face of the earth, 
ventures to assure them with a face of confi- 
dence, that they would never be re-establish- 
ed, since they had committed that horrid crime 
against the Saviour of the world. This m as a 
bold assertion in the good man, who knew 
how this people had been so wonderfully re- 
established in former times, when they were 
almost svA'allowed up, and in the most despe- 
rate state of desolation, as in their deliverance 
out of the Babylonish cajitivity, and the op- 
pressions of Antiochus Lpiphanes : nay, he 
knew that within less than an hundred years 
before his own tirne, the Jews had made such 
a powerful effort for their re-establishment un- 
der Barchocab, in the reign of Adrian, as 
shook the whole Roman empire : but he found- 
ed his opinion on a sure word of prophecy, and 
on the punishment they had so justly incurred j 
and we find by a long experience of fifteen 
hundred years, that he was not mistaken, nay, 
that his opinion gathers strength daily, since 
the Jews are now at a greater distance fropi any 



probability of such a rc-establishment, thm 
they were \\ hen Origen WTOte. 

In the primitive times, the Christian religion 
shewed its full force and cificncy on the mindti 
of men, and by many examples demonstrated 
^^ hat great and generous souls it was capable 
of producing. It exalted and refined its pro- 
selytes to a very high degree of perfection, and 
set them far above the pleasures^, and even the 
pains, of this life. It strengthened the infir- 
mity, and broke the fierceness of human na- 
ture. It lifted up tlie minds of the ignorant to 
the knowledge and worship of him that made 
them, and hispired the vicious \\ ith a rational 
devotion, a strict purity of heart, and an un- 
bounded love to their ftllov.-creatures. In 
proportion as it spread through the world, it 
seemed to change mankind into another spe- 
cies of beings. No sooner was a convert iniv 
tiatedinto it, but by an easy figure he became 
a new man, and both acted and looked upon 
himself as one regenerated and born a second 
time into another state of existence. 

But we find no argument made a stronger 
impressimi on the minds of these eminent Pa- 
gan con\ erts, for strengthening their faith in 
the history of our Saviour, than the predictions 
relating to him in those old prophetic writings, 
which were deposited amongst the hands of 
the greatest enemies to Christianity, and own- 
ed by them to have been extant many ages be- 
fore his appearance. The learned Heathen con^ 
verts were astonished to see the whole history 
of their Saviour's life published before he was 
bom, and to find that the evangelists and pro- 
phets, in their accounts of the Messiah, differ- 
ed only in point of time, the one foretelling 
what should happen to him, and the other de- 
scribing those very particulai's as what had ac- 
tually happened. This our Saviour himself 
was pleased to make use of as the strongest ar- 
gument of his being the promised Messiah, 
and without it would hardly have reconciled 
his disciples to the ignominy of his death, as in 
that remarkable passage which mentions his 
conversation with the two disciples, on the day 
of his resurrection, St, Luke xxiv. 13, to th^ 
end. Besides, the Heathen converts, after 
having travelled through all human learning, 
and fortified their minds with the knowledge of 
arts and sciences, were particularly qualified 
to examine these prophecies with great care 
and impartiality, and without prejudice or pre- 
possession ; so as to establish in their mmds 
the firm belief of the truth and excellency of 
the Christian religion, beyond the least degrejs 
of a doubt concerning it^ 



i 




I 




